Chaos erupted at the domestic wing of the Abuja Airport yesterday after a frustrated traveller smashed United Nigeria Airlines’ (UNA) laptops in protest over cancelled flights triggered by a bird strike.
The incident followed a disruption to UNA’s schedule when one of its aircraft, approaching Lagos from Kano, suffered a bird strike and was immediately withdrawn from service for safety inspection.
The grounding of the aircraft caused multiple delays, leaving many passengers stranded and agitated.
A viral video from the scene showed angry passengers confronting airline staff, accusing UNA of poor communication and lack of care during the long wait.
Confirming the incident, UNA’s Public Relations Officer, Chibuike Uloka, said the bird strike significantly hampered operations.
He explained that bigger aircraft are more exposed to such occurrences, adding that the airline could not compromise safety under any circumstances.
Uloka stressed that all affected passengers were informed of the situation and insisted that flying with a damaged aircraft was impossible, regardless of public pressure or frustration.