NCAA Fines Kenya Airways For Mistreating Nigerian Passengers, Orders Compensation

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has sanctioned Kenya Airways for failing to properly care for three passengers, including one Gloria Omisore.

The Kenyan airline is being held responsible for several violations related to consumer rights.

According to a statement from Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Kenya Airways failed to:

• Provide proper care during disruptions

• Fully disclose the terms of carriage

• Respond to requests from the NCAA

• Process refunds and compensation

• Handle baggage properly

As a result, the airline has been fined under the NCAA Regulations 2023.

It has also been ordered to pay compensation equal to 1,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) and issue refunds to the affected passengers within seven days.

If Kenya Airways fails to meet this deadline, the NCAA has warned of tougher penalties.

The NCAA had previously announced full enforcement against the airline for not refunding or compensating Gloria Omisore within 48 hours, as ordered.

Among the infractions is the airline’s refusal to tender an official apology to the Nigerian traveller, Gloria Omisore.

According to the NCAA, Kenya Airways requested a one-hour extension but still failed to comply.

The incident stemmed from a delayed flight, during which Omisore endured a 17-hour layover in Nairobi and was later told she’d face another 10-hour wait before being flown to the UK.

Despite bleeding and needing basic care, her requests were ignored. The NCAA also said the airline failed to recognize that she lacked a transit visa for France before flying her out.

The agency criticized Kenya Airways for releasing a misleading public statement about the incident and not updating it after being presented with the facts.

Despite being given several chances to correct the situation, the airline failed to respond appropriately.

Now, the NCAA is demanding swift action from Kenya Airways or it will face further consequences.

“The airline failed to discover the lack of a France transit visa and flew this passenger to Nairobi where she had a 17-hour layover, only to be told that she would have to endure a further 10-hour wait if she must be flown to the UK.

“Passenger then asks to be provided care for that 10-hour period as she is bleeding and needs to bathe. The actions of the airline staff following her request were down to poor passenger handling.

“Gloria Omisore was not an unruly passenger on the first leg of the flight, nor was she rude on the Lagos-Nairobi flight.

“We put the facts of the matter to the airline and rejected the misleading official statement put out by them.

“The determination was for the airline to update its initial statement to reflect the facts of the case. There has been no compliance. Rather, the original statement that obfuscated facts, in all of its royal misleading-ness, has been allowed to grow wings and fly.

“The NCAA gave the airline an opportunity to fix what was wrong. The airline has failed to do so. Earlier yesterday, the airline asked for an extension of one hour, after which they still failed to comply with the determination of the CAA.”

KanyiDaily recalls that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) recently announced that starting January 1, 2026, airports in the country operating without valid permits will face penalties.