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A female passenger who caused the cancellation of an Ibom Air flight has been charged to court following her disruptive actions at Uyo Airport.
On Wednesday, January 8, 2025, a female passenger caused the cancellation of an Ibom Air flight scheduled to depart from Uyo to Abuja at 17:30 hrs.
The incident occurred at Uyo Airport when the passenger, after boarding the aircraft, discovered that her luggage was not among those loaded onto the plane.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has since confirmed that the passenger’s actions have led to legal charges, and she is currently facing prosecution. Dr. Michael Achimugu, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, shared details of the incident on Sunday, January 12, stating that the passenger’s disruptive behavior resulted in the cancellation of the flight, causing inconvenience to 89 other passengers, including an infant and a chef traveling to provide paid service to a client in Abuja.
According to Dr. Achimugu, all passengers had been informed during check-in that, due to weight restrictions, some or all of their luggage might not arrive on the same flight.
Passengers with bags exceeding 20 kg had signed indemnity forms, while those with bags close to the 20 kg limit were verbally informed that their luggage would be delivered on the next available flight.
The passenger in question had agreed to this arrangement during check-in but became irate when she noticed her bag was not loaded.
Despite attempts by the pilot and Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel to resolve the situation, the passenger refused to cooperate.
The pilot even offered to carry the bag in the cabin, but its size did not permit it. The passenger insisted that the flight could not depart without her luggage, and she left the aircraft angrily, demanding the immediate loading of her bag.
The situation escalated when the airspace was about to close due to Uyo’s sunset airport status, leading to the flight’s cancellation.
As a result, passengers, including those with international flight connections, missed their scheduled departures.
In a video shared on social media, one passenger was overheard stating that she missed her British Airways flight due to the disruption caused by the unruly passenger.
According to the unruly passenger, her actions were because of a previous experience when her luggage had been delayed in December. However, Ibom Air clarified that the passenger’s luggage had been successfully delivered to her in Aba after that incident, undermining her concerns this time around.
The cancellation resulted in Ibom Air incurring additional costs to provide refreshments, transportation for local passengers, and hotel accommodation for those who had traveled from out of town.
These expenses added to the airline’s losses, which were compounded by the scheduling challenges caused by the disruption.
Dr. Achimugu emphasized that the NCAA is committed to educating stakeholders about the consequences of unruly behavior. He stated, “The regulations firmly state that no provocation justifies violence at the airport. Holding up the movement of an aircraft through violent means could be interpreted as terrorism, depending on the severity, as determined by the police.”
He also confirmed that the passenger had been handed over to the police and charged in court.
In response to the incident, Dr. Achimugu mentioned that protocols for handling unruly passengers would be reviewed. He noted that the response to the situation could have been quicker and more decisive, and improvements are necessary to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
The NCAA has assured the public that the passenger will face the full extent of the law, and the case will continue to unfold in court.
Female Passenger Charged to Court After Causing Ibom Air Flight Cancellation at Uyo Airport
