Air Peace: Media Reports on UK Safety Breaches Are Exaggerated, Sensationalised

Air Peace airline has debunked recent media reports alleging safety breaches during its operations in the United Kingdom, describing them as exaggerated and sensationalised.

According to reports published by some media platforms, the London Gatwick Airport filed two mandatory occurrence reports to the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) against the Nigerian flag carrier’s operations at the airport. The reports further stated that the UK’s Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) wrote to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on alleged safety violations of the carrier in London.

However, in a press statement released on Monday by the airline’s spokesperson Stanley Olisa, it was stated that the reports surfaced following the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (UK CAA) Ramp Inspection on April 7, 2024, which scrutinized Air Peace’s use of the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) and other operational aspects.

Air Peace confirmed that the UK CAA requested clarifications, which were promptly provided, leading to the matter being resolved without any issues. The airline emphasised that it holds the necessary EFB approvals from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and all its Boeing 777 aircraft are certified to operate with EFBs.

“We are shocked to see several media publications with exaggerated and sensationalised accounts of this matter that was closed with the authorities over a month ago.

“Air Peace received approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and all our Boeing 777 aircraft are certified to operate with EFBs. Regarding the claim that our B777 aircraft lack iPad mounts and charging ports in the flight deck, this is incorrect. All B777 aircraft are equipped with charging ports in the cockpit and we ensure that all our B777 aircraft have iPad mounts.

“Another issue raised by the UK CAA was the location of our cockpit library on the B777. The B777 designates two locations for storing manuals and books: one behind the captain and one under the jumpseat. During the inspection, the books were stored under the jumpseat, as it is commonly practiced.

“We understand the inspector’s preference for the books to be placed behind the captain and have ensured this preference is accommodated for future inspections.

“There was also a concern about the captain’s choice of runway exit after landing. Instead of exiting at the middle runway exit, the captain, out of his professional discretion, opted to exit at the end of the runway.

“We acknowledge this deviation and have addressed the matter with the captain to ensure adherence to preferred exit procedures in the future. Ramp Inspection is a normal procedure carried out by aviation authorities globally, and the UK CAA did the right thing by notifying the NCAA of the outcome of their inspection.”

Air Peace expressed surprise and disappointment, criticising the reports for creating unnecessary public panic and questioned the professionalism of such pessimistic journalism.

The airline assured its esteemed passengers and the public that it remains dedicated to ensuring the utmost safety and security in all its operations.

“It is unprofessional for the media to publish slanted and alarmist reports to create public panic and impugn our deeply ingrained safety culture. Air Peace’s safety record is second to none and we go above and beyond to comply with all established safety standards.

“Safety is the bedrock of our operations and we have robust operational mechanisms to guarantee full compliance always.”