The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) reported that an Ibom Air flight, which was scheduled to depart Uyo for Abuja at 17:30 hrs last Wednesday, was disrupted by an unruly passenger, causing a significant delay for 89 other passengers.

According to Mr. Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, the passenger’s behavior led to the flight’s cancellation and caused considerable inconvenience to other travelers, costing both time and money.

The incident began when all passengers had been informed during check-in that, due to weight restrictions, some or all luggage might not arrive on the same flight. Passengers with luggage weighing over 20kg were required to sign indemnity forms, while those with lighter bags were verbally informed that their luggage would follow on the next scheduled flight.

However, after boarding, the unruly passenger discovered that her bag was not among those loaded onto the aircraft. She angrily demanded that her luggage be loaded onto the plane, refusing to allow the flight to depart without it. Despite the pilot’s offer to place the bag in the cabin (which was not possible due to size restrictions), the passenger insisted the flight would not leave.

Efforts from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) AVSEC and the pilot to resolve the issue were unsuccessful. As the time for takeoff passed and the airspace closure loomed, the passenger continued to block the aisle, further delaying the flight. The flight’s cancellation became inevitable when the airspace was about to close.

Achimugu described the situation as tense, noting that the intervention of airline and security staff prevented a physical altercation from breaking out among the frustrated passengers. The airline had to provide immediate refreshment, transportation for local passengers, and hotel accommodation for those traveling from outside Uyo, incurring significant additional costs.

The flight’s cancellation also caused scheduling problems for the airline, which would take several days to resolve. Achimugu expressed frustration over the unnecessary disruption, emphasizing that the incident was entirely avoidable, especially given the already narrow profit margins within the aviation industry.