Nigeria hits KQ with sanctions over viral clash with passenger, right breaches
Hilary Kimuyu
May 12, 2025
Correspondent in Nairobi, Kenya
Nation Media Group
Kenya Airways is facing penalties from Nigerian aviation authorities after the airline was found to have violated consumer protection regulations in at least three separate cases, including the widely publicised incident in February involving passenger Gloria Omisore.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) last week issued a formal sanction letter to Kenya Airways (KQ), citing failures ranging from denial of care to mishandling of refunds and compensation.
Among the cases is that of Omisore, whose heated altercation with a KQ agent at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was filmed and circulated on social media. The Lagos-based passenger was en route to Paris via Nairobi, but was denied boarding for not having a Schengen visa — a requirement for entry into the European Union.
Kenya Airways said the passenger was instead offered an alternative route to London, which led to the altercation. The situation escalated when Omisore, visibly angry, threw used sanitary pads at the KQ agent. The footage sparked outrage online, drawing wider criticism of the airline’s treatment of passengers and handling of customer service.
In a statement at the time, Kenya Airways defended its staff, saying they had followed standard immigration and transfer procedures.
“The video does not reflect the full context,” the airline said, adding that the matter was referred to security agencies for investigation. KQ also stressed that it upholds mutual respect and expects both staff and passengers to behave responsibly.
“While we remain committed to delivering exceptional service, we expect all interactions to be based on mutual respect,” the airline stated.
“Our employees deserve to work in a safe and dignified environment, and we do not tolerate any abuse from our employees or guests.”
But Nigeria’s aviation regulator said the incident — and two other complaints — pointed to deeper systemic issues. NCAA director of public affairs and consumer protection Michael Achimugu said the airline breached key passenger rights.
“The sanctions are for consumer protection-related offences, including denial of right to care, failure to fully disclose conditions of carriage, refusal to respond to the Authority’s requests, and failure to process refunds and compensation,” Mr Achimugu wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The NCAA has ordered Kenya Airways to pay 1,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) — about $1,300 — to each affected passenger within seven days, and to implement corrective measures.
“Failure to comply with the letter will result in stiffer penalties for the airline,” the NCAA said.
At the time of going to press, Kenya Airways had not responded to questions regarding the sanctions.