Prominent Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele has voiced her frustration with Air Peace after she and numerous other passengers were left stranded at London Gatwick Airport. The filmmaker took to her official X handle on Friday to detail the ordeal and criticize the airline’s management of the situation.
According to Akindele, travelers had been at the airport since 6:30 am without receiving adequate information from the airline staff.
Akindele Demands Immediate Action
The actress highlighted the plight of vulnerable travelers, including the elderly and families, who were left waiting for hours.
She wrote: “Air Peace, this is unacceptable. Passengers (including elderly people) have been stranded since 6:30 AM at London Gatwick Airport with no proper communication. After hours of delay, we were told there was a bird strike and promised a hotel.
Hours later, people are still sitting at baggage claim hungry, exhausted and without their bags. Elderly passengers are struggling. Families are tired. No clear updates. No support. Release passengers’ luggage immediately and provide the hotel you promised. Do something NOW @flyairpeace.”
Nearly ten hours into the ordeal, Akindele posted another update expressing her exhaustion as the situation remained unresolved.
“Air Peace, what is going on? Since 7AM at London Gatwick Airport and it’s almost 4PM no bags, no hotel, no proper updates.
Passengers are stranded. People are tired and hungry. Release the luggage and take care of your passengers NOW,” she added.
The airline responded to her initial post, attributing the disruption to unforeseen technical factors and emphasizing their commitment to safety.
Responding to the post, Air Peace clarified: “Dear Funke @funkeakindele, we sincerely empathize with you over this experience and all inconveniences this has caused to your travel plans. Such actions are never intentional as we prioritize safety and operational efficiency, and while we strive for on-time departures, certain factors beyond our control can sometimes cause delays. Rest assured our team are working at the moment to provide all affected passengers with the adequate assistance. Please bear with us during this time.”
Despite the apology, the filmmaker maintained that the lack of basic support, such as access to luggage and promised accommodation, was the primary cause of the passengers’ distress.
