United Nigeria Airlines has suspended all scheduled flights to and from Benin Airport due to the closure of the airport’s runway by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) over an aircraft runway excursion over safety concerns.

“The airline said in a statement Thursday that flight operations on the Benin route remain suspended until recovery efforts by aviation authorities are completed and the runway is declared safe for use.

FAAN commenced safety inspections and recovery operations after the runway was shut down following a report that an aircraft skidded off the runway while landing at the airport.

United Nigeria Airlines confirmed the disruption saying the closure has made it impossible to continue operations into the airport.

The airline said: “Following an excursion that led to the closure of the runway at the Benin Airport by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), all our flights to and from the airport have been cancelled until the runway is reopened.

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The carrier apologised to travellers for the inconvenience caused and urged affected passengers to contact its customer service channels for rebooking and other travel assistance.

It said it was making arrangements to mitigate the impact of the cancellations and stressed that passenger safety and welfare remained its highest priority.

United Nigeria Airlines also asked for patience while FAAN completes the recovery work and the necessary safety checks required before normal flight operations can recommence.

An aircraft excursion is an event involving an aircraft leaving the runway during take-off or landing. Incidents of this nature often lead to temporary runway closures while aircraft are recovered and damage and safety assessments are undertaken before airports are reopened to air traffic.

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Air Peace has suspended a scheduled flight from Warri to Lagos following a bird strike on one of its aircraft during landing at the Osubi Airport in Delta State.

The airline announced the development in a statement on Friday by its spokesman Osifo-Whiskey Efe, saying the aircraft was immediately grounded for safety inspections after the incident.

When the plane touched down, engineers carried out initial checks and found the landing gear needed further checks, the airline said.

“Initial checks indicated the need for further checks of the landing gear and, as a result, the aircraft was grounded in accordance with normal aviation safety procedures,” the statement said.

As the development, Air Peace announced the cancellation of the scheduled return flight of the aircraft from Osubi to Lagos.

The carrier said that arrangements were in place to mitigate the impact on affected passengers which included hotel accommodation in Osubi while they finalize their travel plans.

Air Peace regretted the disruption and apologised to passengers for the inconvenience caused by the cancellation.

The airline reconfirmed its dedication to the safety of its passengers stating that operational choices are consistently based on the stringent compliance of safety regulations and industry standards.

“At Air Peace, safety remains our number one priority,” the airline said.

“While these types of disruptions are unfortunate, all operational decisions we make are through the lens of our uncompromising commitment to the highest standards of safety and regulatory compliance.”

The airline also thanked passengers for their patience, understanding and cooperation and assured that further information will be provided as developments unfold.

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