Air Peace Clarifies Alleged Safety Violation at Gatwick Airport, London

Chinedu Eze

Air Peace has confirmed that the UK Civil Aviation Authority carried out ramp inspection on its aircraft operating the Lagos-London service and raised concerns, which it has since resolved with the UK authorities.

The airline said reports indicating safety breach in its operation were false and aimed at creating fears and doubts in the minds of potential travelers.

“From the commencement of our inaugural flight to London, our operations have been subjected to intense scrutiny by the relevant authorities, which we most welcome as we pride ourselves in our continued pursuit of operational excellence and unwavering commitment to the safety and security of our esteemed passengers.

 “We can confirm that the UK Civil Aviation Authority wrote to Air Peace, after their statutory Ramp Inspection on April 7, 2024, to request clarification on our use of the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) and some other concerns. We provided the necessary information, and the matter was resolved without any issues.

 “It is, therefore, wrong to say we do not have approval for our EFB. Air Peace received approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and all our Boeing 777 aircraft are certified to operate with EFBs,” the airline said in a statement signed by the management.

The airline added: “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.”

Air Peace also disclosed that 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 all operations going forward.

“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.

“This may have delayed the arrival of another aircraft. We acknowledge this deviation and have addressed the matter with the captain to ensure adherence to preferred exit procedures in the future,” the airline said.

It remarked that 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.

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

“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,” the airline added.