The Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has revealed that the airline recorded 49 bird strike incidents across Nigeria in 2025, describing the situation as a major setback to airline operations.
Onyema disclosed this on Sunday while speaking during an interview on ARISE NEWS, where he highlighted several challenges facing Nigerian airlines, including bird strikes, multiple taxation and what he described as constant attacks from government agencies.
According to him, Air Peace recorded 49 bird strikes between January and September alone, stressing that even one incident can ground an aircraft for weeks.
“Air Peace has had 49 bird strikes in Nigeria from January to September. One bird strike could cripple your aircraft for the next month. At that moment, there’s no two ways about it,” Onyema said.
He explained that such incidents often result in serious delays, flight cancellations and high maintenance costs, adding that airlines bear the full burden of the disruptions.
Onyema also reacted to allegations by some government agencies, including the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, which has accused airlines of exploiting passengers through high airfares.
He described the claims as unfair and damaging to local carriers.
“We in the Airline Operators of Nigeria have come out to say that enough is enough. The bashing of Nigerian airlines doesn’t stop,” he said.
“It’s very painful when it’s coming from government agencies that should know better. Using words like ‘exploitative’ and ‘coordinated price-fixing’ is very, very unfair to these airlines.”
Dismissing claims of price-fixing, Onyema said airfare prices vary based on demand and booking time, especially during peak seasons like Christmas.
“It is untrue that every fare is 500,000 or 400,000. When you go to the inventory, you will still see tickets for 150,000 naira,” he said.
“You can be on the same aircraft with someone who paid 125,000 naira, and another person who paid 350,000 naira.”
He added that Nigerian airlines still offer some of the cheapest domestic airfares globally.
“We still have tickets for as low as 115,000 naira, which is less than 60 dollars,” Onyema said.
“Nigerians are flying the cheapest fares in the world domestically.”
On the issue of taxation, Onyema said airlines receive only a small fraction of ticket sales due to multiple charges imposed by government agencies.
“When you take a ticket of 350,000 naira, only 81,000 naira comes to the airline. The rest goes to taxes and levies,” he said.
According to him, the heavy tax burden is making it difficult for airlines to survive.
“The government has got to look at the excessive, multiple taxation. We are suffering from multiple charges. It’s unsustainable,” he added.
Onyema also raised concerns over aircraft damage caused by ground handling companies, revealing that one of the airline’s brand-new aircraft was badly damaged.
“One of our brand-new planes, bought with over 85 million dollars, was damaged by a ground handler. The thrust reverser of that engine is gone,” he said.
“The engine alone costs about 18 million dollars.”
He further alleged sabotage in another incident involving one of the airline’s Boeing 777 aircraft, which was grounded for three years due to engine issues.
“One of our 777s had an Aircraft on Ground for three years because we couldn’t get the engine anywhere in the world,” he said.
“When the engine finally arrived, the ground handler pierced through the centre of it. This is sabotage.”
Onyema called for urgent reforms in the aviation sector, including allowing capable airlines to handle their own ground operations to improve safety.
“It’s time to allow airlines that can afford to do their own ground handling to take that responsibility,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Onyema said Air Peace remains committed to providing affordable and safe air travel, while urging the government to offer better support to local airlines.
“We need better support from the government, better safety standards and a fairer tax regime if Nigerian airlines are going to survive and grow,” he added.
