The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has condemned Delta Air Lines for allegedly delaying a Nigerian passenger and mistreating them during their travel. The incident occurred at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, where the passenger missed a connecting flight in Atlanta due to a delay.
Despite being rebooked on another flight with a nearly seven-hour wait, Delta reportedly failed to offer hotel accommodation or lounge access. The passenger, a staff member of the NCAA, was left sitting in an uncomfortable chair overnight. Their rescheduled flight was also delayed. The station manager claimed they could not assist as they were not responsible for Atlanta operations.
Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs, expressed the authority’s disapproval of the treatment in a post on X, emphasizing that such behavior would not be tolerated. He further stated that the NCAA would take appropriate action under Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.
The NCAA also stressed that Nigerian passengers deserve proper care and dignity, regardless of their awareness of their rights. When reached for comment, Delta’s Media Relations Officer in Nigeria, Adeola Olanrewaju, said she would gather more details and respond accordingly.
This incident is reminiscent of the Gloria Omisore case and highlights the NCAA’s ongoing efforts to address passenger mistreatment by airlines.
