Air Peace has disclosed that it has lost about $42m in revenue due to repeated damage to its aircraft by ground-handling companies, adding that three of its aircraft have been seriously damaged in the past 12 months.
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The airline also alleged that, on average, its aircraft are damaged twice every year by the two major ground handling companies, the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc and the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc.
Speaking with our correspondent through a phone call, the spokesperson for Air Peace, Efe Whiskey, said the airline had recorded three major aircraft damage incidents within the past 12 months, with two occurring this year.
“The number of ground handling accidents that we have experienced thus far, on average, SAHCO and NAHCO damage our aircraft at least twice a year.
“It might not be as big as the other ones, but we have had three major ones that have been destroyed within the past 12 months. One happened last year, and two happened this year.
“In total, we have had three in the period spanning 12 months. However, on average, they damage our aircraft twice in a year,” Whiskey said.
The Air Peace spokesperson added that the financial impact of the incidents extended beyond the cost of repairing the damaged aircraft, as the airline also lost revenue while the aircraft remained grounded.
“The revenue lost so far, especially from one aircraft, is $42m. It is the airline, of course, that loses. They don’t pay for that revenue. They only pay for the damage,” Whiskey added.
According to him, the handling companies had agreed to pay $3.8m for repairs to the most recently damaged aircraft, while $3.2m had already been paid for repairs to another aircraft damaged on Boxing Day.
“So, they have agreed now that they are going to pay $3.8m to fix the latest one that they broke.
“Then the previous one that they broke on Boxing Day is $3.2m. They have paid $3.2m.”
The Air Peace spokesperson explained that additional costs were incurred when damaged aircraft or their components had to be transported abroad for repairs.
“There are also scenarios where there is damage to aircraft, and we have to bring people from abroad to come and fix it. Either you bring people from abroad, or you try and fix a bit of the aircraft on your own. Then fly it there.
“So what we do is we remove the part of the aircraft and of course we ferry it over to those people over there, which costs $40m to ship damaged parts,” he said.
He added that towing and cleaning costs were also incurred following the incidents.
“Then towing, especially when it is damaged, and you are paying in dollars, that is $700 for towing and cleaning up the area where it is damaged. That is the least money that we have had from them,” he said.
Whiskey further expressed concern that the airline could suffer similar incidents in the future, citing previous patterns of aircraft damage.
“According to our insurance predictions, they are going to damage our aircraft again this year based on previous reports and patterns that they have sent; we have seen that they are only damaging it like twice a year,” he said.
In December 2025, Air Peace suffered a major operational disruption after a ground-handling equipment incident damaged one of its brand-new Embraer 195-E2 aircraft at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Boxing Day.
Reports said the incident affected the aircraft’s operations and resulted in disruptions to several flights.
The latest complaint also comes against the backdrop of previous incidents involving ground-handling equipment and Air Peace aircraft.
In January 2023, reports said NAHCO equipment had damaged an Air Peace aircraft at the Lagos airport, with the airline raising concerns after describing it as the third such incident involving NAHCO equipment within a month.
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