United Nigeria Airlines has grounded two Airbus A320 aircraft and warned of network-wide disruptions after suffering its fourth bird strike in less than two weeks, underscoring growing concern about wildlife hazards at Nigerian airports and the resilience of the country’s domestic aviation sector.
What Happened: Fourth Bird Strike Since Late January
The latest incident occurred on Sunday 15 February 2026 during the take-off roll of Flight UN0519 from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. According to the airline, a bird impacted one of the aircraft’s engines shortly before the aircraft was due to depart around midday, forcing the crew to abort the take-off and return to the gate for safety checks.
United Nigeria Airlines confirmed that the event represents the fourth bird strike involving its Airbus A320 fleet since January 2026 and the second such incident in less than 24 hours. The carrier described the episode as “another bird strike too many,” stressing that while there were no injuries reported, the safety implications required immediate and decisive action.
The airline’s corporate communications team said the affected aircraft was withdrawn from service for “comprehensive technical inspections” in line with internal safety policies and regulatory requirements. Engineers are now conducting detailed engine and structural checks to determine the extent of any damage before the aircraft can be cleared to return to commercial operations.
Multiple Incidents in Days: A Timeline of the Strikes
The Abuja bird strike capped a troubling two-week period for United Nigeria Airlines. On Saturday 14 February 2026, just a day earlier, another Airbus A320 operating Flight UN0523 from Asaba International Airport in Delta State to Lagos also suffered a bird strike during the take-off phase. That aircraft was similarly removed from service for full inspection, already putting pressure on the airline’s schedule.
Earlier in the same week, the airline reported a bird strike involving Flight UN0514/614 in Port Harcourt on 12 February, shortly after the aircraft landed from Lagos. In that case, there was no apparent structural damage, but the aircraft still underwent precautionary safety checks before re-entering service. United Nigeria also disclosed a separate bird strike in January that had already been logged as part of a growing pattern of such events since the start of the year.
Industry observers note that while bird strikes are not unusual in global aviation, the clustering of incidents within a narrow time frame for a single carrier is significant. The recent series has raised questions about local wildlife management at key Nigerian airports, particularly during the critical phases of take-off and landing when aircraft are most vulnerable.
Two Airbus A320s Grounded and Widespread Flight Disruptions
The immediate operational impact for United Nigeria Airlines is substantial. With two Airbus A320s now out of rotation following the Abuja and Asaba incidents, the carrier has warned that “some flights across our network will be disrupted and may not operate as earlier scheduled.” The airline operates a lean fleet on busy domestic routes, so the loss of two narrow-body aircraft in under 24 hours places considerable strain on its timetable.
Passengers booked on affected services are already reporting delays, rebookings and, in some cases, cancellations as the airline reassigns remaining aircraft to cover its highest-demand routes. Sectors linking Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Asaba and other key cities are expected to bear the brunt of schedule adjustments while maintenance and safety teams work to clear the grounded aircraft.
The airline has urged customers to monitor its official communication channels for updated flight information and has appealed for patience as it juggles reduced capacity. Customer service and airport agents are focusing on reaccommodation, refunds where applicable, and assisting travelers who face missed connections or time-sensitive commitments because of the disruption.
Safety First: How the Airline Says It Is Responding
United Nigeria Airlines has framed its decision to ground the aircraft as evidence of an uncompromising approach to safety. The company has repeatedly emphasized that any aircraft involved in a bird strike is immediately removed from service and subjected to intensive inspections, regardless of whether there is visible damage.
Technical teams will be carrying out borescope inspections of engines, structural assessments of nacelles and leading edges, and detailed checks on sensors, landing gear and flight-control systems that could have been affected by impact or ingestion of birds. Depending on the findings, repairs could range from relatively minor component replacements to more involved engine shop visits and structural work, which may extend the aircraft downtime.
In public statements, the airline has apologized to passengers for the inconvenience but stressed that safety will “never be compromised” and remains the foundation of its operations. That messaging mirrors the stance taken after previous bird strike events in late 2025 and January 2026, when the carrier also opted to temporarily withdraw aircraft from service pending full clearance from its engineering and quality-assurance teams.
Understanding Bird Strikes and Why They Matter
Bird strikes occur when birds collide with aircraft, most often during take-off, climb-out, approach or landing when planes are flying at lower altitudes. While many such incidents result in little or no damage, they can pose serious risks, particularly when birds are ingested into jet engines or strike windscreens and critical aerodynamic surfaces at high speed.
A single large bird or a flock of smaller birds can cause significant engine damage, trigger vibrations or power loss, and in extreme cases force an emergency landing. Even when engines continue to function normally, regulators and airlines typically require thorough post-incident inspections to ensure there are no hidden defects, such as blade damage, structural dents, or foreign-object fragments that might compromise future flights.
Globally, bird strikes cost airlines hundreds of millions of dollars annually in repairs, inspection time and lost revenue from grounded aircraft. At the airport level, they also highlight the importance of robust wildlife management strategies, including habitat modification, grass cutting, use of bird-dispersal techniques, and coordination with local environmental agencies to reduce attractants such as standing water or open waste sites near runways.
Spotlight on Nigerian Airports and Wildlife Management
The cluster of incidents affecting United Nigeria Airlines has cast a spotlight on bird and wildlife control at airports across the country. Nigerian carriers, including United Nigeria and other domestic operators, have periodically reported disruptions linked to bird strikes at major hubs such as Lagos and Abuja, as well as at regional airports like Asaba and Port Harcourt.
Responsibility for managing wildlife hazards on and around airport grounds typically lies with the national airport authority, which is tasked with monitoring bird activity, deploying dispersal tools, and working with environmental and municipal bodies to remove food sources, landfills or water bodies that attract flocks near approach and departure paths. Airlines, however, often bear the immediate financial and operational cost when bird strikes occur.
Recent episodes affecting both United Nigeria and other domestic carriers have prompted renewed calls from aviation stakeholders for intensified surveillance of bird populations, more investment in radar and deterrent technologies, and strategic planning that accounts for seasonal migratory patterns. Operators argue that as air traffic and fleet sizes grow, particularly on busy domestic corridors, proactive wildlife management is critical to sustaining reliability and traveler confidence.
Passenger Experience: What Travelers Should Expect and Do
For travelers booked on United Nigeria Airlines in the coming days, the immediate reality is the potential for schedule changes, longer wait times at airports and last-minute rebookings. The grounding of two workhorse Airbus A320s means fewer seats and tighter aircraft rotations, leaving less margin in the schedule if additional technical issues arise.
Passengers are being advised to check the status of their flights before leaving for the airport and to allow extra time for check-in and security, particularly on routes known to be heavily trafficked. Those with onward connections on separate tickets should plan for possible delays and consider travel insurance that covers missed connections and trip interruptions linked to operational disruptions.
At the same time, aviation experts note that United Nigeria’s response aligns with global best practice: removing any aircraft with a suspected safety issue from service until specialists can clear it. Although inconvenient for customers, such measures are intended to reduce risk in an operating environment where even seemingly minor damage can have serious consequences if left unaddressed.
What This Means for Nigeria’s Domestic Aviation Sector
The latest bird strike series comes at a time when Nigeria’s domestic aviation market is working to expand capacity, refresh fleets and rebuild consumer confidence after years of economic headwinds and infrastructure challenges. Carriers like United Nigeria Airlines have invested in modern aircraft and higher-frequency services on popular business and leisure routes, making reliability a key competitive factor.
Recurrent disruptions tied to environmental hazards such as bird strikes could strain that progress if not tackled through coordinated industry and regulatory action. Prolonged aircraft downtime drives up maintenance and leasing costs, reduces available capacity, and places pressure on fares and service quality. Smaller airlines with limited spare aircraft are particularly vulnerable when several jets are grounded simultaneously.
Nonetheless, aviation analysts point out that the industry’s transparent handling of incidents, coupled with a safety-first stance, can also strengthen trust in the long term. By promptly grounding aircraft, communicating openly with passengers, and cooperating with regulators on investigations and mitigation, carriers can demonstrate that safety takes precedence over short-term commercial considerations, a message critical to sustaining the upward trajectory of air travel in Nigeria.