The airline said in a statement that the narrative did not accurately reflect the full circumstances surrounding the disruption.
It said, “The affected flight experienced a bird strike, which is a recognised ‘force majeure’ event in aviation, necessitating the immediate grounding of the aircraft for comprehensive safety inspections in line with global aviation standards. At Air Peace, safety is not negotiable, and under no circumstance would we operate an aircraft without the required safety clearance.
“Following this development, affected passengers were promptly informed of the incident and the cancellation of the service, and arrangements were made for their comfort, including hotel accommodation at the Hilton Hotel in London, Gatwick as well as necessary transit coordination.
“However, we encountered additional operational constraints, including airport congestion and delays from ground handling services responsible for baggage retrieval. These factors affected the timely retrieval of passengers’ checked baggage, which in turn impacted the speed at which some passengers were transferred to their hotels
“It is important to note that baggage handling at international airports is managed by designated ground handling companies, operating within strict airport procedures and regulatory protocols. As such, Air Peace does not exercise direct control over these processes, and all baggage retrieval must follow established due process.
“At no point were passengers abandoned. Communication was maintained with all affected passengers, and every effort was made to ensure their welfare throughout the disruption. We can confirm that all passengers were offered hotel accommodation at the Hilton London Gatwick, and those who elected to accept have now been accommodated, while we finalise arrangements for the deployment of another aircraft to complete the service.
“We recognise that aviation disruptions can be distressing, and we remain empathetic to the inconvenience experienced by our esteemed passengers. However, it is important to emphasise that aviation operations are not ‘plug and play.’ They involve multiple stakeholders, layered safety protocols, and strict regulatory compliance, particularly in situations involving force majeure events such as bird strikes.
“While we respect the right of passengers to express their concerns, we find the ongoing negative hounding of our airline over a safety-driven, force majeure incident to be shocking and unwarranted, especially in light of the timely announcements and necessary updates made by the Captain of the flight to all affected passengers, as well as the responsible and proactive steps taken to ensure passenger safety, communication, and overall care throughout the disruption.”
Air Peace said it remains steadfast in its commitment to the safety, comfort and overall well-being of passengers, adding that it would continue to review its processes to further enhance service delivery during unforeseen disruptions.