How time is running out on Air Peace — by Aderemi Ogunpitan

Flying Air Peace in Nigeria can be traumatic. The challenge is that most Nigerians genuinely and truly want to be proud of Air Peace.

That is why its services can be so frustrating.

Their brand says ambition, patriotism and national champion, but too often, the passenger experience is delays, uncertainty, poor communication and horrible customer management.

That contradiction is dangerous. And, its now overwhelming.

Nigerians may forgive disruption caused by weather, airport infrastructure, bird strikes or fuel problems. What they will not forgive indefinitely is being treated as though their time has no value.

Delayed flights are an operational problem, but poor communication and customer service is a management problem.

Repeatedly inconveniencing passengers without credible recovery is now the norm, and a clear and present culture problem for the airline.

Patriotism may persuade Nigerians to support Air Peace, but itcannot compel them to tolerate poor service forever.

Air Peace has to stop confusing expansion with excellence. More routes, more aircraft and more international headlines means nothing if its passengers cannot confidently plan a business meeting, wedding, funeral or connection around a published departure time.

They need now a emergency programme and ruthless operational discipline to return to realistic schedules that meets their current fleet stock, crew buffers and work to provide truthful and reliable passenger communication.

Their frontline staff must be empowered to give automatic compensation where justified.

They need to focus on measurable accountability for recurring failures. Air Peace cannot continue behaving as if they don’t have a problem.

That bull crap posture that “Nigeria’s airline can do it,” is now a running joke.

They need to show they can do what they say.

If Air Peace does not close that gap, the greatest threat to its brand will not be foreign competition. It will be the slow exhaustion of the goodwill Nigerians gave it.

Time is running out.