United Nigeria Airlines has suspended all scheduled flights to and from Benin Airport after the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) closed the airport’s runway following an aircraft runway excursion, citing safety concerns.
The airline announced the suspension on Thursday, saying flight operations on the Benin route would stay on hold until aviation authorities finish recovery efforts and declare the runway safe for use.
The runway was closed following a report that an aircraft veered off the runway while landing at the airport, leading to FAAN commencing safety inspections and recovery operations.
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United Nigeria Airlines confirmed the disruption saying the closure has made it impossible to continue operations into the airport.
“Following the closure of the runway by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) due to an excursion, all our flights to and from Benin Airport have been cancelled until it is reopened,” the airline said.
The carrier apologised to travellers for the inconvenience caused and urged affected passengers to contact its customer service channels for rebooking and other travel assistance.
It assured customers that it was making arrangements to minimise the impact of the cancellations, stressing that passenger safety and welfare remain its highest priority.
United Nigeria Airlines also appealed for patience while FAAN completes recovery work and the necessary safety checks required before normal flight operations can resume.
An aircraft excursion happens when an aircraft leaves the runway during take-off or landing. Incidents like these often lead to temporary closures of runways as aircraft are recovered and damage and safety assessments are conducted before airports are reopened to air traffic.