Conveyor Belt Collision Disrupts Air Peace Lagos–Accra Flight
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
ABUJA, Nigeria – A ground handling incident disrupts Air Peace’s Lagos–Accra flight after a conveyor belt strikes the aircraft shortly after passengers’ board, forcing their deboarding and triggering flight delays.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) confirms the incident on Friday. NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection Michael Achimugu says the collision damages the aircraft’s engine cover.
“Passengers were already boarded when a ground handler’s conveyor belt hit the aircraft, causing damage to the engine cover. Passengers had to be deboarded,” Achimugu says.
He explains that the affected aircraft, a brand-new Embraer E2, is scheduled to operate nine flight sectors, meaning hundreds of passengers will experience delays or cancellations. “The airline will face backlash, refund issues and compensation for damage that was not its fault,” Achimugu says, adding that repairs will require significant foreign exchange expenditure.
He recalls a previous bird strike that cost the airline more than $3 million to fix, noting that replacement parts took a month to arrive from the manufacturer.
The NCAA spokesman calls for stricter oversight of ground handling personnel, urging regulators to “name and shame” poorly trained operators whose errors cause reputational and financial damage. “Airlines should not be held responsible for situations like this, and passengers deserve honest explanations,” he adds, noting that the NCAA is considering heavier sanctions for defaulting service providers.
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