NCAA Gives Kenya Airways Seven Days to Compensate, Refund Violated Passengers or Face Stiffer Penalties
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a formal letter of sanction to Kenya Airways for multiple consumer protection violations affecting three passengers, including one Gloria Omisore.
The sanction, dated 7 May 2025, outlines serious infractions committed by the airline in its handling of passenger complaints and failure to comply with aviation consumer protection standards.
In the letter signed by Mr Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at NCAA, the authority cited Kenya Airways for failing to meet its obligations under the NCAA Regulations 2023.
Specifically, the airline was found culpable of neglecting passengers’ right to care, failing to provide full disclosure of terms of carriage, ignoring official requests for information by the regulatory body, neglecting to process refunds and compensation, and mismanaging baggage claims, including a case of lost baggage.
According to the NCAA, Kenya Airways is now required to pay compensation and refunds amounting to 1,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) to each of the affected passengers.
The directive mandates the airline to make these payments within seven days from the date of the letter.
“The Authority considers these breaches a serious disregard for passengers’ rights and regulatory compliance,” the letter read. “Failure to comply with the provisions of this letter within the stipulated timeframe will attract stiffer penalties.”
This development reemphasises NCAA’s commitment to enforcing consumer protection regulations in Nigeria’s aviation sector, as the authority continues to hold both domestic and foreign operators accountable for the treatment of air travellers.
The case may serve as a precedent and a stern reminder to international carriers operating in Nigeria that regulatory oversight must be respected and passenger welfare prioritised.
