Air Peace has denied allegations of violating safety protocol in its United Kingdom operations, as recently reported by various media outlets.
On Monday, the airline issued this rebuttal in a statement released on its official X (formerly Twitter) account.
The statement emphasized that since the airline began its Lagos-London route a few months ago, its operations have been under intense scrutiny by relevant authorities.
“Our attention has been drawn to media reports alleging a safety breach by Air Peace in the United Kingdom, which contain a lot of falsehood aimed at creating fears and doubts in the minds of the flying public.
“From the commencement of our inaugural flight to London, our operations have been subjected to intense scrutiny by 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,” the statement read in part.
Air Peace admitted that the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) contacted the airline following a statutory Ramp Inspection on April 7, 2024, to request clarification on its use of Electronic Flight Bags (EFB) and other concerns.
The airline stated that it promptly provided the required information to the UK CAA, and the matter was resolved without any further issues.
More insight
The statement further clarified that Air Peace received approval for EFBs from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), confirming that all its Boeing 777 aircraft are certified to operate with EFBs.
Additionally, Air Peace addressed media reports that claimed the airline’s B777 aircraft lacked iPad mounts and charging ports in the cockpit. The airline emphasized that all its B777 aircraft have both charging ports in the cockpit and iPad mounts.
The statement also revealed that another issue raised by the UK CAA concerned the location of the cockpit library on the B777 aircraft. During the inspection, the UK CAA observed that Air Peace had stored books under the jumpseat, one of the two designated locations for storing manuals and books on the B777, the other being behind the captain, it noted.
The statement noted that although storing books under the jumpseat is common practice, the UK CAA preferred the books to be stored behind the captain, and Air Peace had adhered to this preference since being informed of the requirement.
Backstory
On Monday, various media outlets reported that the UK CAA’s statutory Ramp Inspection of Air Peace aircraft revealed several security protocol violations.
The reports claimed that in a letter dated May 14, 2024, the NCAA, upon receiving formal complaints from the UK CAA following the inspection, had stated that the UK CAA had highlighted issues including the lack of operational approval for EFB functions affecting the safe operation of the aircraft, the absence of a mounting device for the EFB, and no charging points or backup battery.
