NCAA sanctions Kenya Airways over consumer protection violations of Nigerian passenger

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has sanctioned Kenya Airways following incidents involving Nigerian passenger Gloria Omisore and two other individuals.

In February, the NCAA summoned Kenya Airways to its headquarters in Abuja after a video surfaced on social media depicting a heated exchange between Omisore and a Kenya Airways agent at the airline’s transfer desk in Nairobi.

Omisore, who was en route from Lagos to Nairobi, Paris, and Manchester with the airline, complained of being treated in an inhumane manner, a grievance to which Kenya Airways later admitted fault.

This week, the NCAA issued a letter of sanction to the airline, citing violations related to consumer protection. According to Mr. Mike Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection at the NCAA, these violations included failure to provide passengers with the right to care, inadequate disclosure of terms of carriage, failure to respond to the NCAA’s requests, and issues regarding refunds, compensation, and lost baggage.

Achimugu explained on his X, formerly Twitter, handle that, in addition to the fine imposed under the NCAA Regulations 2023, Kenya Airways has been given seven days to pay refunds and compensation amounting to 1,000 Special Drawing Rights to the affected passengers. Failure to comply will result in more severe penalties for the airline.