The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a formal sanction to Kenya Airways following a viral social media video that captured a heated confrontation between a Nigerian passenger, Mr. Omisore, and a Kenya Airways staff member at the airline’s transfer desk in Nairobi.
The incident, which occurred in February, involved Omisore’s journey from Lagos to Nairobi, Paris, and Manchester via Kenya Airways. He publicly accused the airline of subjecting him to inhumane treatment. In response, Kenya Airways acknowledged its mishandling of the situation and admitted fault.
Following an earlier summons to the airline at NCAA’s Abuja headquarters, the aviation authority has now taken disciplinary action against the carrier for several consumer protection violations. According to Mr. Mike Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, the infractions include:
Denial of passengers’ right to care
Failure to provide transparent disclosure of carriage terms
Non-response to the authority’s inquiries
Delayed processing of passenger refunds and compensation
Loss of passenger baggage
As part of the sanctions, Kenya Airways has been fined under the NCAA Regulations 2023 and ordered to pay refunds and compensation equivalent to 1,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) to each affected passenger within seven days. Achimugu warned that failure to comply will result in more severe penalties against the airline.
