Kenya Airways has issued an apology to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) over its mistreatment of Nigerian passenger Gloria Omisore and for releasing a misleading statement about 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 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 emphasized that his duty is to protect all aviation stakeholders, including passengers and airlines, while ensuring compliance with civil aviation regulations.
Achimugu said he had insisted 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 unfolded in Nairobi.
Among those 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 her eligibility 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 lacked 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 without verifying the requirement for a transit visa for Paris. The oversight was only discovered upon her arrival in Nairobi.
To address the issue, Kenya Airways offered her a direct flight to London at no extra cost but required her to endure an additional 10-hour wait after already spending 17 hours in transit.
“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 criticized 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 the airline previously claimed. Instead, her frustration stemmed from the airline’s denial of basic care and the prolonged wait, despite admitting fault.
Kenya Airways has been ordered to refund and compensate Omisore for the “avoidable humiliation and distress” she endured, which also put her job at risk.
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 once the airline complies with the directive.
Earlier, The PUNCH had reported the dispute between the NCAA and Kenya Airways over Omisore’s alleged mistreatment while traveling from Lagos to Manchester, United Kingdom.
A viral video captured a heated exchange between her and airline officials at the Nairobi transfer desk.
Kenya Airways had claimed that Omisore became unruly after being denied boarding due to visa issues, even 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.
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