The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced plans to impose sanctions on Kenya Airways for repeatedly violating aviation regulations and mishandling passenger complaints.
The decision follows the airline’s poor treatment of a Nigerian passenger, Gloria Omisore, who was left stranded for hours in Nairobi under difficult conditions. Despite a meeting with NCAA officials, Kenya Airways has failed to issue an official apology or correct misleading statements about the incident.
Incident Involving Nigerian Passenger
According to NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu, Omisore was wrongly allowed to board a Kenya Airways flight from Lagos to Nairobi without a valid France transit visa. Upon arrival in Nairobi, she endured a 17-hour layover before being informed that she would face another 10-hour delay before being allowed to continue her journey to the United Kingdom.
Omisore, who reportedly has a medical condition, requested assistance during the extended wait but was allegedly denied proper care. Kenya Airways later admitted it had made a mistake in allowing her to board the initial flight but failed to provide the necessary support during her layover.
In a widely shared video, airline staff were seen raising their voices and insulting Omisore, a clear violation of customer service policies. Kenya Airways’ Country Manager, James Nganga, acknowledged that the staff’s behavior was inappropriate.
NCAA Condemns Airline’s Response
Following public outcry, Kenya Airways issued a statement claiming Omisore refused an alternative flight to London. However, the NCAA dismissed the statement as false, asserting that the airline was attempting to shift blame rather than take responsibility.
Despite the NCAA’s demand for a correction, Kenya Airways has yet to amend its statement, and misleading reports about the incident continue to circulate online.
Broader Issues With Kenya Airways
The NCAA also cited multiple ongoing regulatory violations by Kenya Airways, including: Frequent flight delays without compensation for passengers, failure to submit compliance reports for delayed flights, including a seven-hour delay on a recent flight, lack of knowledge of NCAA regulations, prompting the agency to provide Kenya Airways with copies of the rules.
NCAA to Take Enforcement Action
As part of its response, the NCAA announced plans to sanction Kenya Airways through due legal processes. Additionally, the agency will organize a retreat for all airlines operating in Nigeria to review key regulations, particularly Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023, which covers passenger rights.
The NCAA emphasized that it remains committed to protecting consumers and ensuring strict compliance with aviation laws. Meanwhile, Kenya Airways has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the matter, as the airline does not have a spokesperson or media office in Nigeria.
