West Africa’s largest airline, Air Peace, has come under criticism from passengers over alleged poor communication following a prolonged delay at London Gatwick Airport.
The backlash was triggered by a complaint from Nollywood actress Funke Akindele, who said passengers were left stranded for hours without adequate information or support.
“Air Peace, this is unacceptable. Passengers, including elderly people, have been stranded since 6:30am at London Gatwick Airport with no proper communication,” Akindele wrote.
“After hours of delay, we were told there was a bird strike and promised a hotel. Hours later, people are still sitting at baggage claim hungry, exhausted, and without their bags.
“Elderly passengers are struggling. Families are tired. No clear updates. No support.”She called on the airline to act swiftly, saying, “Release passengers’ luggage immediately and provide the hotel you promised. Do something now.”
In response, Air Peace apologised and attributed the disruption to operational challenges beyond its control.
“Dear Funke, we sincerely empathise with you over this experience and all inconveniences this has caused to your travel plans,” the airline said.
“Such actions are never intentional as we prioritise safety and operational efficiency… certain factors beyond our control can sometimes cause delays. Rest assured our team is working at the moment to provide all affected passengers with adequate assistance.”
However, the response did little to calm frustrations, as several passengers took to social media to express dissatisfaction with the airline’s service.
One user, Olamide, said: “Flight from Lagos to Gatwick today has also been cancelled for the same bird strike excuse by Air Peace. This seems to be a flimsy excuse issued when they are not fully booked.”
Another passenger, Setin Hunkokoe, wrote: “From Lagos to Benin to London you don’t have any good service. Your customer service is terrible. Never ever again.”
A third user, identified as FCA, criticised the airline’s repeated apologies, saying: “You always sincerely apologise. When will a black man actually do something with excellence? Yes, there could be unforeseen circumstances, but at least communicate and take care of your customers. It is not hard!”
The incident has renewed concerns over service standards and passenger management among domestic carriers operating international routes.