Date: May 2, 2026 l Reported by: Andrew Baba
Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has publicly criticised Air Peace over what she described as poor handling of a prolonged flight delay at London’s Gatwick Airport, alleging that passengers including elderly travellers were left stranded for hours without proper communication or support.
The incident reportedly occurred after a London–Lagos Air Peace flight was disrupted on Friday morning, with passengers informed that the delay was caused by a suspected bird strike, a situation that typically requires mandatory safety inspections before departure.
Akindele, who was among the affected passengers, said travellers had been waiting since around 6:30 a.m. with little or no updates from the airline. She alleged that after hours of waiting, passengers were still left without access to their luggage, accommodation, or clear information about next steps.
In her comments, she described the situation as particularly difficult for vulnerable passengers, noting that elderly individuals were struggling and families were exhausted while waiting at the airport. She also claimed that an earlier promise of hotel accommodation had not been fulfilled at the time of her complaint.
Air Peace responded by expressing regret over the disruption, attributing the delay to operational safety checks following the bird strike incident. The airline stated that such measures are necessary to ensure passenger safety and that efforts were underway to assist affected travellers.
The situation has sparked broader online reactions, with many users criticising airline customer service standards during international travel disruptions and calling for improved passenger care and communication.
As of the latest updates, it remained unclear when all affected passengers would be fully accommodated or when normal service would resume for the disrupted flight.