Airlines vow to prosecute passengers for assault, destruction

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has said henceforth, aggrieved passengers who destroy airline property, or assaulted airline staff would be arrested and prosecuted.

AON said passengers who attack airline staff or property risk blacklisting, adding that the travellers would also be banned from being carried by any airline.

It made this known via a statement issued by its spokesman, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, a copy of which was made available to The Star on Friday.

AON, while condemning a recent attack on the property of Dana Air by passengers, said air transport users who have issues with any operator have legally sanctioned avenues to seek redress.

According to AON, destroying airline property and assaulting staff of airline companies constitute criminal breaches and are not part of avenues sanctioned by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Federal Competitions and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPA).

It stated: “The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) condemns, in very strong terms, the attack on the property of Dana Air by passengers whose scheduled flights were affected by the grounding of the airline for operational audit.

“Recall that Dana Air passengers on July 21, 2022, physically descended on, and damaged, the company’s property at the domestic wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, over the unexpected and unintended cancellation of their flight in what is now a force majeure.

“Dana Air is currently undergoing an operational audit as ordered by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

“We understand that Dana Air, as a responsible member of this association, had activated its feedback mechanism to inform passengers of the development and the cancellation of their flight.

“However, it is uncivilized for passengers to take laws into their hands by destroying Dana Air property when there are approved mechanisms for redress.

“As an association, AON will no longer watch passengers destroy the property of its affiliate members without adequate response.

“Henceforth, AON shall activate all available legal avenues to ensure that passengers caught destroying property of her members are brought to book and made to pay for such destructions.

“Once again, AON reminds consumers of the services of her members that no law permits the destruction of company property, and, or, physical assault on Airline staff, as redress.

“We make bold to say that such actions will be pursued from both criminal and civil law perspectives and may also include blacklisting and travel ban on member airlines.

“We encourage aggrieved passengers to explore NCAA-approved avenues for redress, including options at Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC), as the airline staff that is assaulted, and property that is damaged, cannot make up for whatever is the unintended consequence(s) of flight cancellations or delays,” the statement read.

The Star