Three months after its mistreatment of Ms. Gloria Ibukun Omisore, a Nigerian passenger, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a formal letter of sanction to Kenya Airways following multiple violations of consumer protection regulations involving three passengers, including Omisore.
NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu, made the announcement on his official X account on Wednesday night.
He said: “According to the NCAA, the sanctions stem from the airline’s failure to uphold several key obligations, including the NCAA has sent a letter of sanction to the operator, Kenya Airways, over the cases of Gloria Omisore and two other passengers.
“The penalties are for consumer protection-related infractions including right to care, failure to provide full disclosure of terms of carriage, failure to respond to the Authority’s request, failure to process refund and compensation, and lost baggage.
“In addition to the fine in line with the NCAA Regulations 2023, the airline has seven days to pay the refunds and compensation of 1000 special drawing rights to the affected passengers.
“Failure to comply with the letter will attract stiffer penalties for the airline.”
Persecondnews recalls that in February 2025, the NCAA had initiated enforcement actions against Kenya Airways following a widely publicized incident involving Nigerian passenger Omisore.
The controversy began when Omisore was flown from Lagos to Nairobi without the necessary French transit visa required for her onward journey to Manchester.
This oversight resulted in her being stranded in Nairobi for a 17-hour layover, followed by an additional 10-hour wait.
During this period, Omisore, who was managing a medical condition, requested care but was reportedly provided with inadequate assistance by the airline staff.
In swift reaction, Achimugu through his X account on Monday February 3, insisted that if Kenya Airways refused to take the passenger to her destination, there would be consequences.
He said: “If Ms Gloria Ibukun Omisore is not airlifted safely to her final destination within a couple of hours, there will be ramifications. There are limits that must not be crossed, and in 2025, you will treat Nigerian passengers better.
“I have advised the passenger that unruly behaviour is inexcusable at any airport and she can be blacklisted by the airline, and even pay fines. The NCAA does not condone unruly behaviour.
“You should not have allowed her to board your flight from Nigeria if she was not qualified due to visa requirements. You issued her boarding passes and let her leave Lagos. She flew into Nigeria via your airline on the same route.
“She claims to have called the airline before paying for the ticket, but she was told that she was qualified since she owns a BRP.
“The statements made by your staff were inappropriate for someone in the industry. “Call your president,” insinuates a lot.”
In response, Kenya Airways clarified that they had offered the passenger an alternative route from Nairobi to Manchester via London, but the passenger declined the offer.
In a statement posted on its X handle the same day, the airline further explained that after the passenger declined their alternative travel option, she requested accommodation.
It said: “Kenya Airways does not provide accommodations in cases where boarding is denied due to visa requirements. It is the responsibility of passengers to ensure they have the necessary documentation for their journey.
“In a distressing turn of events, the guest resorted to inappropriate behaviour by removing and throwing three used sanitary pads at our employees.
“We strongly condemn such conduct. While we remain committed to delivering exceptional service, we expect all interactions to be based on mutual respect. Our employees deserve to work in a safe and dignified environment, and we do not tolerate any abuse from our employees or guests.
“The incident has been reported and is under investigation by the relevant security agencies. We are committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure the well-being and safety of our employees and guests at all times.”
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