United Nigeria Airlines on Friday confirmed delays to some of its Lagos departures following a technical malfunction of the conveyor belt system at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MM2), a development that once again highlights the critical role of airport infrastructure in Nigeria’s aviation operations.
In a travel advisory issued on January 3, 2026, the airline explained that the failure of the terminal’s conveyor belt system disrupted check-in and boarding processes, making it impossible to process passengers at the usual pace despite aircraft and crew being ready for departure.
“As a result, a few of our scheduled flights departing from Lagos are currently experiencing delays,” the airline said in the statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Chibuike Uloka.
United Nigeria Airlines apologised to affected passengers and assured the flying public that its operations and ground teams were working closely with relevant airport authorities to resolve the problem and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.
Infrastructure, Not Aircraft, at the Heart of the Disruption
Industry observers note that the incident is part of a broader pattern in Nigeria’s aviation sector, where flight delays are frequently triggered by failures in shared airport infrastructure rather than airline-related issues. MM2, the country’s busiest domestic terminal, handles thousands of passengers daily, making it highly sensitive to technical breakdowns in baggage handling, power supply and passenger processing systems.
In this case, the conveyor belt malfunction meant that check-in counters could not process luggage efficiently, creating bottlenecks that cascaded into boarding delays across several flights.
Aviation analysts say such disruptions underline the limits of airline efficiency when airport systems fail. “Even when an airline is operationally ready, a breakdown in terminal infrastructure can ground schedules within minutes,” one industry source noted.
United Nigeria’s Response and Passenger Communication
United Nigeria Airlines’ swift public communication was seen by stakeholders as an attempt to manage passenger expectations and protect consumer confidence. By clearly identifying the source of the disruption, the airline sought to distinguish between airline operations and airport system failures.
The carrier, which operates a growing domestic network under the slogan “Flying to Unite,” has in recent years positioned itself as a reliability-focused airline in Nigeria’s competitive domestic market.
Broader Implications for Nigeria’s Aviation Sector
The MM2 incident has renewed calls for sustained investment in airport infrastructure, preventive maintenance and system redundancy, particularly at high-traffic terminals. As passenger volumes continue to grow in 2026, experts warn that without consistent upgrades, technical failures could increasingly undermine schedule integrity across domestic operations.
For passengers, the delays were an inconvenience. For United Nigeria Airlines, the episode tested crisis communication and coordination with airport authorities. For regulators and airport managers, it served as another reminder that airline performance and passenger experience are inseparable from the health of airport infrastructure.
As operations return to normal, the disruption leaves a familiar but urgent question in its wake: can Nigeria’s airport systems keep pace with the country’s expanding domestic aviation market?
United Nigeria Airlines confirms flight delays after a conveyor belt system failure at Lagos MM2, highlighting ongoing airport infrastructure challenges in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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