The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has vowed to impose severe sanctions on Kenya Airways following a series of aviation rule violations in Nigeria. The most prominent issue involves the airline’s refusal to apologize to Nigerian passenger Gloria Omisore, who was reportedly mistreated by airline staff in Nairobi, Kenya, in a recent incident.
Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s spokesperson, shared a statement via his X account on Saturday, explaining that Kenya Airways’ Country Manager, James Nganga, was summoned to the NCAA office, where he acknowledged the airline’s failure in handling the situation. The NCAA also criticized a statement issued by the airline, labeling it false and inconsistent with the facts.
Despite the acknowledgment, Kenya Airways has yet to amend the statement to reflect the truth of the incident, as of the time of this report.
The incident involved Omisore, who was flown from Lagos to Nairobi without a France transit visa, a mistake that Kenya Airways later admitted. Omisore was subjected to a 17-hour layover in Nairobi, followed by another 10-hour wait before she could board a flight to the UK. She requested assistance due to her medical condition, but airline staff reportedly mistreated her. Kenya Airways later confirmed that Omisore was neither rude nor disruptive during the flight from Lagos to Nairobi.
The NCAA criticized Kenya Airways’ initial statement regarding the incident, which it called misleading. Despite efforts to have the airline amend its statement, the original version continued to circulate, including in a blog post that wrongly claimed Omisore had refused an offer to fly to London. This misinformation persisted, even after Kenya Airways admitted that Omisore’s frustration stemmed from the airline’s failure to provide proper accommodation during her long layover.
Video footage also showed airline staff verbally confronting Omisore, insulting and raising their voices at her. Kenya Airways’ Country Manager later admitted that this behavior violated airline policies. Despite these admissions, the airline has not corrected the situation, prompting the NCAA to continue holding the airline accountable for mishandling the case.
Additionally, the NCAA highlighted other issues with Kenya Airways, including frequent flight delays and the failure to compensate passengers for lost baggage. One such case involved a flight delayed by seven hours, for which the airline refused to submit a compliance report. When the airline’s team claimed ignorance of NCAA regulations, the NCAA provided them with a copy of the relevant guidelines.
The NCAA announced plans to organize a retreat for all airlines operating in Nigeria to review and refresh their understanding of the NCAA Regulations 2023, particularly Part 19, which addresses passenger rights. The authority expressed concern over Kenya Airways’ disregard for these regulations and its poor handling of customer complaints.
The NCAA emphasized that enforcement action will proceed against Kenya Airways through the due process, with its legal department ensuring compliance. The authority reaffirmed its commitment to protecting consumer rights in Nigeria, stating that it will take all necessary steps to address the violations.
Currently, Kenya Airways does not have a spokesperson or media office in Nigeria. The airline has not responded to inquiries sent through its official X handle.
