Kenya Airways has apologised to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority over the mistreatment of Nigerian passenger, Gloria Omisore, and for issuing a misleading statement on the incident.
The apology followed a meeting between the airline’s management and NCAA officials in Abuja on Tuesday.
The NCAA’s Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu, disclosed this in a post on his official X handle.
“Their team has apologised for the obfuscation of facts in their earlier statement. They also admitted that phone call or not, it was the airline’s fault for failing to identify the issue before airlifting the passenger from Lagos,” Achimugu stated.
He noted that his role was to protect all aviation stakeholders, including passengers and airlines, while upholding the regulations of the civil aviation authority.
Achimugu said he had demanded that Kenya Airways issue a public apology to both the passenger and the NCAA. The airline has since released an updated statement reflecting the true events that occurred in Nairobi.
Present at the meeting were Kenya Airways’ Country Manager, James Nganga; Station Manager, Eric Mukira; and Duty Manager, Ezenwa Ehumadu.
According to the NCAA, Omisore had contacted Kenya Airways before her trip to confirm if she was eligible to fly the Manchester-Paris-Nairobi-Lagos route inbound and Lagos-Nairobi-Paris-Manchester outbound.
She reportedly informed the airline that she was a Nigerian with a British residence permit but without a Schengen visa. Despite this, she was assured of her eligibility.
“Based on this information, she purchased the ticket and successfully flew into Nigeria via Paris and Nairobi without incident,” Achimugu explained.
However, during her return journey, the airline boarded her from Lagos, overlooking the requirement for a transit visa for the Paris leg. The oversight was only discovered in Nairobi.
To rectify the situation, Kenya Airways offered her a direct flight to London at no extra cost but asked her to endure an additional 10-hour wait after a 17-hour layover.
“Exhausted and unwell, the passenger requested accommodation and care, citing the airline’s error. When this was denied, an argument ensued between her and the airline staff,” Achimugu added.
The NCAA also condemned the conduct of Kenya Airways staff during the incident.
“I expressed deep disappointment over the unruly behaviour of the airline’s staff, particularly the disparaging remarks about the Nigerian government, insinuating that nothing would be done regardless of how Nigerians were treated,” Achimugu stated.
He further clarified that Omisore did not refuse to board the alternative flight, as claimed in the airline’s earlier statement.
Instead, her frustration stemmed from the denial of basic care and the prolonged wait despite the airline’s admission of fault.
Kenya Airways has been directed to refund and compensate Omisore for the “avoidable humiliation and distress” she endured, which also threatened her job security.
Although the airline initially requested 72 hours to respond, the NCAA granted only 48 hours, stating, “Truth should not be that hard to publish, considering how swiftly the misleading statement was released.”
Further updates will be provided after the airline complies with the directive.
The PUNCH had earlier reported the dispute between NCAA and Kenya Airways over allegations of Omisore’s mistreatment while travelling from Lagos to Manchester, United Kingdom.
A viral video captured a heated exchange between her and airline officials at the Nairobi transfer desk.
The airline claimed that Omisore became unruly after being denied boarding due to visa issues, alleging that she threw used sanitary pads at staff—an accusation the passenger has not publicly addressed.
The airline maintained that it does not provide accommodation for passengers denied boarding over visa-related issues, stating that it is the passenger’s responsibility to ensure proper travel documentation.
Princess Etuk @ThePUNCH
