Kenya Airways has formally apologized to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regarding the mistreatment of Nigerian passenger Gloria Omisore, as well as for issuing a misleading statement concerning the incident. This apology came after a meeting between the airline’s management and NCAA officials in Abuja on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by key Kenya Airways representatives, including the airline’s Country Manager James Nganga, Station Manager Eric Mukira, and Duty Manager Ezenwa Ehumadu.
Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, took to his official social media account to share the details of the meeting. He revealed that Kenya Airways acknowledged the error in its previous statement and admitted that regardless of whether a phone call occurred, the airline was at fault for not identifying the issue before allowing Omisore to board her flight from Lagos.
Achimugu emphasized the NCAA’s commitment to protecting the interests of all aviation stakeholders, including passengers and airlines, while ensuring adherence to civil aviation regulations. He had earlier requested that Kenya Airways issue a public apology to both Omisore and the NCAA. In response, the airline has released an updated statement clarifying the sequence of events that transpired in Nairobi.
After proper investigate by the NCAA, it was revealed that Omisore, a Nigerian with a British residence permit contacted Kenya Airways before her trip to confirm her eligibility to fly the Manchester-Paris-Nairobi-Lagos route on her inbound journey and the Lagos-Nairobi-Paris-Manchester route on her outbound journey. She informed the airline that she did not have a Schengen visa, but was assured she could travel. However, the airline informed her that sshe was eligible to travel and she proceeded to purchase the ticket and successfully flew into Nigeria via Paris and Nairobi without any issues.
However, during her return flight from Lagos, Kenya Airways overlooked the requirement for a transit visa for the Paris leg of her journey which was later discovered in Nairobi. In response, the airline offered her a direct flight to London at no extra charge, though this would require her to endure an additional 10-hour wait after a 17-hour layover.
Omisore, feeling exhausted and unwell, requested accommodation and care due to the airline’s oversight. When her request was denied, an argument reportedly ensued between her and the airline staff which went viral in a video on the internet.
Achimugu criticized the airline’s staff for their behavior during the incident, particularly for making disparaging comments about the Nigerian government, insinuating that no action would be taken regardless of how Nigerians were treated.
Additionally, Achimugu clarified that Omisore did not refuse to board the alternative flight, as suggested in the airline’s previous statement.
The NCAA has directed Kenya Airways to refund Omisore and compensate her for the “avoidable humiliation and distress” she suffered, which also had the potential to impact her job security. Despite the airline’s initial request for 72 hours to respond, the NCAA granted only 48 hours for compliance, stating that “truth should not be that hard to publish, considering how swiftly the misleading statement was released.”
This incident gained widespread attention when a viral video emerged, showing a heated exchange between Omisore and airline staff at the Nairobi transfer desk. In the airline’s earlier version of events, it was claimed that Omisore became unruly after being denied boarding due to visa issues, and that she allegedly threw used sanitary pads at staff.
The airline maintained that it does not provide accommodation for passengers denied boarding over visa-related issues, stating that it is the responsibility of the passenger to ensure they have the necessary travel documentation despite the fault being as a result of misinformation from the airline.
As of now, the matter continues to be under investigation, with the NCAA ensuring that Omisore’s treatment is properly addressed.