No fewer than one hundred passengers travelling from Abuja to Owerri were stranded on Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport following the disruption of a United Nigeria Airlines flight caused by a bird strike.
The disruption triggered tension at the domestic terminal as some frustrated passengers allegedly damaged airline property, attacked staff members and injured an Aviation Security officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. The situation reportedly escalated after passengers complained of poor communication from the airline over the sudden cancellation of the flight.
In a statement issued on X, the spokesman of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr Mike Achimugu, confirmed the incident and blamed the chaos on the airline’s failure to promptly inform passengers about the development. He explained that the aircraft scheduled for the Abuja Owerri route suffered a bird strike, making it unsafe for operation.
According to Achimugu, NCAA officials had to intervene to calm the situation and address the passengers directly. He disclosed that the affected passengers have been rescheduled to depart for Owerri by 10am on Friday. As compensation for the disruption and lack of timely communication, the airline has agreed to grant the passengers a 15 per cent discount on their next flight.
He added that although the incident was classified as force majeure, the airline admitted lapses in customer engagement. NCAA, he said, would continue to monitor United Nigeria Airlines to ensure full compliance with aviation regulations until all affected passengers reach their destination safely.
Meanwhile, United Nigeria Airlines, in a separate statement, apologised to passengers and attributed the disruption to a bird strike on one of its aircraft. The airline explained that the affected aircraft had been withdrawn from service for thorough inspection in line with safety procedures, noting that passenger safety remained its top priority.
The airline appealed for patience and understanding from the travelling public as it works to restore normal flight operations across its network.
