An Ibom Air flight scheduled to depart Uyo for Abuja was forced to cancel following a passenger’s unruly behaviour, leaving 89 stranded passengers very angry.
The incident,t which occurred on Wednesday, December 8, almost escalated to the point where airline staff had to intervene to prevent the disruptive passenger from being lynched by other frustrated travellers.
According to a statement from Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), shared on his X page, the disruption began when a passenger refused to board the aircraft after discovering that her checked luggage had not been loaded due to weight restrictions.
He noted that the airline had earlier informed passengers during check-in that some luggage might not travel on the same flight.
Achimugu wrote:
He revealed that the disruption stretched into the evening, and with Uyo being a sunset airport, the airspace closed, forcing the pilot to cancel the flight.
The director of public affairs & consumer protection continued:
The incident resulted in significant financial losses for Ibom Air as the airline had to provide refreshments, transportation, and accommodation for stranded passengers, many of whom were not Uyo residents.
It has also caused scheduling challenges for the airline.
Achimugu revealed that the passenger now faces prosecution, with authorities for holding up an aircraft’s movement could be classified as a terrorist act under Nigerian law.
He concluded:
Ealier, TimesNow.com.ng reported that Delta Air Lines has revealed plans to offer Nigerian dishes as part of its in-flight meal options on the Lagos-Atlanta route.
The initiative aligns with the Nigerian government’s directive for foreign airlines to use local caterers by January 2025.
The types of meals to be served have been revealed.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
