The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has accused Nigeria’s Air Peace of breaching safety regulations at London Gatwick Airport. The allegations were detailed in two mandatory occurrence reports submitted to the CAA.
The violations were documented in a report titled “United Kingdom SAFA Ramp Inspection Report” with reference number CAA-UK-2024-0217. This report was shared with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to inform them of the issues observed with Air Peace’s operations in London.
In response, the NCAA sent a letter to Air Peace’s CEO, referencing the UK SAFA Ramp Inspection Report. Dated May 14, 2024, and signed by Capt. O.O. Lawani, the NCAA’s General Manager (Operations), the letter urged Air Peace to address the safety concerns raised.
The report highlighted that on April 7, 2024, a safety inspection was conducted on Air Peace’s B777-200 aircraft at London Gatwick. The UK CAA pointed out that the aircraft’s Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) was not approved for operational use, and the captain admitted it was being used for navigation. Additionally, the report noted the lack of a proper mounting device for the EFB and insufficient charging points or backup batteries.
Air Peace had recently started direct flights from Lagos to Gatwick on March 30, 2024, in a move seen as addressing the unequal Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the UK. The inaugural flight included notable passengers such as Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and Trade and Investment Minister, Doris Uzoka-Anita.
The NCAA has requested Air Peace to provide corrective actions in response to the findings to ensure compliance with international safety standards.
