Rising chicken strikes spark recent aviation security issues

The spike in chicken strike occurrences and associated technical disruptions throughout Nigerian airways is renewing concern over a recurring but incessantly missed threat throughout the nation’s aviation business, OLASUNKANMI AKINLOTAN studies

Hen strikes have frequently recurred at a time when home operators are making efforts to compete by way of capability with their international opponents around the globe.

Though fashionable plane security programs are working as supposed, business stakeholders say the growing charge of chicken strikes, mid-air technical alerts and precautionary diversions is revealing gaps in airport environmental administration and including monetary pressure on home airways.

Prior to now month alone, United Nigeria Airways has recorded 4 chicken strike incidents at airports throughout the nation, underscoring the quickly worsening nature of the problem dealing with operators.

The newest occurred on the Nnamdi Azikiwe Worldwide Airport when an Airbus A320 scheduled to function Flight UN0519 from Abuja to Lagos encountered birds throughout its takeoff.

In accordance with the airline’s Public Relations Officer, Chibuike Uloka, the incident compelled the airline to withdraw the plane from service instantly for security checks.

He mentioned, “According to our strict and uncompromising security requirements, the plane was withdrawn from service for complete technical inspections. Security stays our highest precedence. We sincerely apologise for the disruptions prompted to our valued passengers.”

The incident resulted within the non permanent grounding of two Airbus plane inside 24 hours, triggering flight disruptions throughout the airline’s community.

In January, Air Peace additionally reported a chicken strike involving one in every of its flights from Lagos to Port Harcourt shortly after the plane landed on the Port Harcourt Worldwide Airport.

The airline mentioned it suffered 49 chicken strikes in 2025, together with incurring a monetary dedication for a similar purpose working into tens of millions of {dollars}.

The airline’s spokesperson, Efe Osifo-Whiskey, mentioned the event required quick security inspections and operational changes.

“We deeply empathise with passengers affected by this unexpected incident and are working diligently to minimise disruptions,” Osifo-Whiskey mentioned.

For airline operators, chicken strikes are excess of minor operational interruptions. They typically translate into expensive repairs, grounded plane and disrupted schedules.

The Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has repeatedly lamented the operational and monetary affect of chicken strikes on airways.

“One chicken strike may cripple your plane for the following month. At that second, there isn’t any two methods about it. These chicken strikes typically result in expensive delays and critical disruptions in flight schedules,” Onyema mentioned.

For passengers, the results normally come within the type of delays, rescheduling or outright cancellations of flights. For airways already battling excessive working prices, this implies engineering bills, misplaced income and mounting operational pressure.

The Airline Operators of Nigeria estimated that home airways lose at the very least N20 bn yearly to chicken strike-related repairs, substitute of plane elements, delays and cancellations occasioned by chicken strikes.

“Every chicken strike is not only a security occasion; it’s an financial occasion. Engines are extraordinarily delicate elements. Even when harm seems minor, airways should perform thorough inspections. That prices time and cash”, the affiliation famous.

Though the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has carried out measures reminiscent of grass administration, bird-scaring gadgets and habitat management, consultants say enforcement and coordination should enhance.

Speedy city enlargement round airports in cities like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Owerri has additional difficult the issue.

Extra Points

Whereas chicken strikes have dominated latest headlines, different operational incidents have additionally occurred which have shaken the religion of airline operators in latest occasions. The chief amongst these incidents occurred to an plane belonging to Arik Air working a flight to Port Harcourt, which was compelled to divert to Benin Metropolis after passengers and crew heard a loud bang from one of many engines.

The Boeing 737-700 plane, with registration quantity 5N-MJF, had commenced descent into Port Harcourt when the incident occurred.

In accordance with the airline’s Public Relations and Communications Supervisor, Adebanji Ola, the crew instantly initiated a precautionary diversion to the closest appropriate airport. All 80 passengers on board disembarked safely in Benin Metropolis with out damage.

“Preparations have been made to move the affected passengers to their remaining vacation spot. We sincerely apologise to the affected Port Harcourt passengers whose journey has been disrupted. The protection and wellbeing of passengers is at all times our precedence at Arik Air,” the airline acknowledged.

The Nigerian Security Investigation Bureau later disclosed that the flight crew detected irregular engine indications in the course of the cruise section of the flight.

In accordance with the bureau, the pilots carried out a precautionary engine shutdown and diverted safely consistent with commonplace aviation procedures.

Preliminary observations on the diversion airport indicated important harm to the affected engine.

The bureau mentioned a preliminary report can be launched inside 30 days in accordance with the Worldwide Civil Aviation Group Annex 13 investigation procedures.

Though not one of the latest incidents resulted in casualties, business consultants warn that the sample of recurring disruptions can not be dismissed as remoted occasions.

Fashionable jet engines are constructed to resist sure chicken impacts with out catastrophic failure, which explains why most chicken strike circumstances don’t result in accidents.

Nevertheless, aviation’s security tradition calls for that each suspected chicken ingestion be handled with the utmost seriousness.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has repeatedly maintained that the nation stays compliant with international aviation security requirements.

“The necessary factor shouldn’t be the prevalence of incidents. What issues is how these incidents are managed. To date, procedures have been adopted,” the Authority not too long ago mentioned.

Plane upkeep engineer Moses Onifade burdened that chicken strikes are seasonal however, when dealt with correctly, may be largely prevented. He mentioned birds, usually, get to the airside when the realm seems bushy.

He added that measures may be put in place to protect towards the recurring incidents which, in keeping with him, price operators enormous sums usually.

He mentioned, “Hen strikes are seasonal, and as , the birds are largely in search of meals; that’s what largely will get them to the airfield. Additionally, significantly when the runway seems bushy, it attracts birds, and anytime the incidents occur, it at all times prices the operators enormous cash relying on what harm is prompted to the plane. So, runways should be effectively taken care of.

“If the engine ingests very many birds, it might harm a compressor plate, and if one compressor plate is broken, that may be a critical problem, some huge cash that would trigger the operators to take away the engine and ship it to overtake.”

Talking about treatments to minimise such incidents, Onifade mentioned: “There are a number of methods to minimise that; one in every of these is that you need to use ‘pretend weapons’ that may often hearth and make sounds to scare away the birds.”