Key Points

• Airline confirms focus keyphrase delays flights.

• Passengers stranded after sudden aircraft grounding.

• Operations disrupted as engineers inspect damage.

Passengers on several United Nigeria Airlines flights leaving Abuja on Thursday were stuck and angry after a bird hit one of the airline’s planes, causing many flights to be cancelled.

Our reporter saw a video of a group of passengers protesting at the domestic wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. They were angry at the airline for not caring and not communicating well.

Another video showed Michael Achimugu, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, talking to the upset passengers to try to calm them down.

A bird strike is when a plane hits a bird or sometimes other animals while taking off or landing. Many of these kinds of events don’t do much damage, but some can cause serious damage to the structure, engine failure, and, in rare cases, deadly accidents. After these kinds of events, airlines often put off or cancel flights until safety checks are done.

As tensions rise, the regulator steps in

Achimugu responded to a post on his verified X account, saying that the NCAA stepped in to stop things from getting worse at the terminal.

“We rushed to the terminal to stop more problems at the domestic wing of the Abuja airport. I spoke to more than 100 passengers who were supposed to fly from Abuja to Owerri on United Nigeria Airline,” he said.

He confirmed that a bird had hit the airline’s plane, which is why the flight had to be cancelled. But the airline’s late communication made things worse for passengers.

He went on to say, “Passengers got angry, and some even got violent.” One of them broke the airline’s laptops, attacked their staff, and hurt an FAAN AVSEC worker.

“Because the airline didn’t communicate with passengers in a timely and proper way, they agreed to give them 15 percent off their next flight and move their trip to Owerri to 10 a.m. tomorrow,” he said.

“We also told the airline to send an email to passengers by 4 p.m. today. If the airline had been honest and quick with customers, the mess would not have happened.

Achimugu also said that the NCAA has told airlines many times to talk to passengers more clearly, especially in December when things are likely to go wrong.

He promised that the Authority would keep an eye on UNA’s compliance until all the travellers who were affected got to their destinations.

The airline says a bird hit the plane and says sorry to the passengers

United Nigeria Airlines, on the other hand, confirmed the problems in a statement, saying they were caused by a bird hitting one of its planes.

The airline’s Corporate Communications Unit said in a statement on Thursday that “due to a bird strike on one of our operating aircraft, some flights across our network will not operate as scheduled.”

The airline’s safety rules say that the affected plane must be grounded for mandatory technical checks.

The statement said, “As a result, and in strict adherence to our safety standards, the affected aircraft has been withdrawn from service for comprehensive inspection before returning it to service.”

The airline reassured customers that it was still committed to the safety of its passengers and operations, saying, “United Nigeria Airlines remains committed to upholding the highest safety standards.”

It also asked travellers who were affected by the disruption to be patient and understanding.

“We are very sorry for any trouble this unexpected change may cause to your travel plans, and we ask our valued passengers to please understand and be patient.

The statement also said, “Our team is working hard to keep disruptions to a minimum and to help all affected travellers with timely updates and help with rebooking.”