The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed Air Peace to prepare a compensation package for passengers affected by a delayed Lagos-Enugu flight after an investigation found that the airline sent passengers an incorrect notification about the flight.
The directive followed a complaint by human rights lawyer and activist, Inibehe Effiong, who said the delay caused him to miss a scheduled court appearance in Enugu State.
According to the NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, the disruption was linked to the ripple effect of operational problems experienced by the airline the previous night.
Achimugu said the airline should have informed passengers scheduled for the morning flight that it had been rescheduled instead of sending a message asking them to report for the original departure time.
He said the airline’s station and duty managers confirmed that the notification received by passengers was sent in error.
“The Station Manager and Duty Manager have confirmed that the messages sent out was the one you received, and that it was done in error,” Achimugu said.
The NCAA spokesman stressed that accurate and timely communication was essential in protecting air passengers, describing the incorrect notification as a failure that could not be classified as a force majeure incident.
He said the regulator had consequently directed Air Peace, in accordance with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023, to submit a compensation package for the affected passengers.
The NCAA is also seeking clarification from the airline on whether affected passengers were provided with accommodation and other forms of care while waiting for the rescheduled flight.
Achimugu said the airline could avoid sanctions if it provided the required compensation and duty of care to passengers. However, he warned that failure to comply could result in heavier regulatory action.
The development comes amid renewed scrutiny of Air Peace’s operational performance following the NCAA’s August 2026 domestic airline disruption figures.
The regulator reported that Air Peace recorded 1,330 delays out of 1,864 flights during the month, representing 71.4 per cent of its reported operations.
Air Peace has disputed the figures, saying it actually operated 2,564 flights during the period and that more than 700 flights were omitted from the NCAA’s data. The airline also maintained that internal factors were responsible for only about 15 per cent of its delays.
