By ITOHAN ABARA-LASERIAN

Air Peace has dismissed reports of alleged safety breach in the United Kingdom, stating that ramp inspection issues were resolved with UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The Lead, Corporate Communications of the airline, Mr Stanley Olisa, dismissed the allegation in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Lagos.

In response to a publication alleging safety concerns, Olisa confirmed the UK CAA’s letter to the NCAA, but said the issues raised had since been resolved.

He said the publication was false and was meant to create fears and doubts in the minds of the flying public.

According to him, since Air Peace’s inaugural flight to the UK, the airline has been subjected to rigorous scrutiny by relevant authorities.

He said the UK CAA had on April 7 requested clarification on the airline’s use of the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) and some other concerns, which were immediately addressed and settled.

“It is, therefore, wrong to say that the airline did not have approval for EFB. Air Peace received approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and all our Boeing 777 aircraft are certified to operate with EFBs.

“Regarding the claim that our B777 aircraft lack iPad mounts and charging ports in the flight deck, this is incorrect.

“All B777 aircraft are equipped with charging ports in the cockpit, and we ensure that all our B777 aircraft have iPad mounts,” Olisa said.

He also said an issue raised by the UK CAA was the location of the airline’s cockpit library on the B777, adding that the B777 designated two locations for storing manuals and books – one behind the captain and one under the jumpseat.

Olisa said during the inspection, the books were stored under the jumpseat, as it was commonly practised.

“We understand the inspector’s preference for the books to be placed behind the captain and have ensured this preference is accommodated for all operations going forward.

“There was also a concern about the captain’s choice of runway exit after landing. Instead of exiting at the middle runway exit, the captain, out of his professional discretion, opted to exit at the end of the runway.

“This may have delayed the arrival of another aircraft. We acknowledge this deviation and have addressed the matter with the captain, to ensure adherence to preferred exit procedures in the future.

“Ramp inspection is a normal procedure carried out by aviation authorities globally, and the UK CAA did the right thing by notifying the NCAA of the outcome of their inspection,” he said.

Olisa, however, said the airline’s management was shocked to see several media publications with exaggerated and sensationalised accounts of this matter that were closed with the authorities over a month ago.

He restated Air Peace’s commitment to safety, employing robust operational mechanisms, to guarantee full compliance always, as it continued pursuit of operational excellence and unwavering commitment to the safety and security of passengers. (NAN)

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