Air Peace has announced the immediate suspension of all flight operations to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, citing the deteriorating condition of the airport’s infrastructure, particularly the runway, which the airline says has continued to pose serious safety concerns.
The airline made this known in a statement released on Saturday morning, explaining that the poor state of the airport’s runway has significantly disrupted its operations, prompting the decision to halt flights into the airport until further notice.
“The situation at the Enugu airport runway can no longer be managed,” Air Peace stated, calling on relevant authorities to urgently intervene and address the worsening conditions of the airport.
“At Air Peace, we prioritise safety first over convenience. We believe that if flights are not operated into this aerodrome for the next few days, it will allow the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria the opportunity to perform the necessary repairs on the runway,” the airline added.
To mitigate the impact of the suspension on its passengers, Air Peace announced that all affected flights scheduled to operate in and out of Enugu would now be redirected to the Asaba International Airport in Delta State.
“Please be informed that all flights scheduled into and out of Enugu will now be operated into and out of Asaba.
We regret any inconvenience this change may have caused,” the airline further stated.
The suspension comes amid growing criticism over the state of aviation infrastructure across Nigeria. Industry stakeholders and operators have repeatedly raised alarm over the dilapidated conditions of several airports nationwide. Many believe that the increasing number of runway incursions recorded in 2024 can be attributed to the defective conditions of airport runways.
In a televised interview with TVC in January, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, also decried the poor state of airport infrastructure in the country, specifically highlighting the dire condition of runways, many of which she said have exceeded their expected lifespan.
Kuku revealed that plans to rehabilitate 17 runways, along with other critical infrastructure such as perimeter roads and fencing, have been included in the year’s budget. She further disclosed that the sum of N580 billion would be required to carry out comprehensive repairs on airport runways across Nigeria.
