Air Peace’s penchant for flight delays, cancellations and exploitative ticket pricing for travellers

*Nigerian consumers of aviation services indict Air Peace for purported primitive capitalism, misapplication of aviation policies, lack of consumer protection, extortion cum ticket racketeering, and growing ‘VIP culture of impunity’ in connivance with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and other regulatory agencies at the country’s airports

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

Scores of Nigerian travellers and aviation service consumers have indicted Air Peace, an indigenous aviation firm, for repeatedly shabby, “eye service” cum humanitarian offerings in the all-important sector of the economy.

The airline, again, has come under heavy criticisms over its seeking habitual flight rescheduling and outright cancellations.

ConsumerConnect reports Air Peace Wednesday, June 11, 2025, denied Senator Adams Oshiomhole, a former Governor of Edo State and Senator, representing Edo North, the opportunity to board his scheduled 6:30 a.m. flight to Abuja, FCT.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior

He said deliberately denied him boarding despite his arrival at Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, in Lagos, 25 minutes before departure and having checked in online.

The Federal lawmaker, who is Chairman, Nigerian Senate Committee on Interior, had condemned the development, clamping that he rejected any preferential treatment and stood up against what he described as “systemic extortion” and poor customer service by airline operators in the country.

Earlier, the Management of Air Peace, in a statement, had accused the Federal lawmaker of allegedly disrupting airport operations after missing a scheduled flight to Abuja.

The airline also alleged that Oshiomole had purportedly arrived late for Flight P47120, which was scheduled to depart for Abuja at 6:30 a.m.

The indigenous airline also stated: “Air Peace strongly condemns the unruly conduct of a prominent Nigerian politician, who disrupted airport operations on the morning of Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

“The prominent individual in question arrived at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) at approximately 06:10 a.m. for Flight P47120 scheduled to depart Lagos for Abuja at 06:30 a.m.”

Air Peace said: “In line with our standard on-time departure policy, the boarding process had closed, and the flight departed as scheduled.”

According to the aviation firm, after informing Oshiomhole of the missed flight, he resorted to violence, physically assaulting its staff and forcefully barricading the terminal’s entrance.

The statement noted: “He went as far as sealing the entry gate and manning the access point, effectively obstructing other passengers from gaining entry into the terminal.”

Oshiomhole: Nigerians should condemn Air Peace’s impunity, disregard for travellers’ rights

Recounting his experience with Air Peace with reporters last Wednesday, the erstwhile President of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), averred that his recent experiences with Air Peace apparently highlighted the growing impunity and disregard for travellers’ rights in the West African country’s aviation sector.

Armed with documented evidence and videos, Oshiomhole had told reporters that he had earlier arrived at the airport Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 6:10 p.m. for a 6:50 p.m. flight but was denied a boarding pass, even though he had met the airline’s check-in deadline of 30 minutes before departure.

Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, Honourable Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development

He further stated: “Yesterday (Tuesday), I got to the airport 40 minutes ahead. My luggage was already checked in.

“But they told me they had stopped issuing boarding passes. Meanwhile, I saw others arriving after me who were allowed to board.”

On airline’s arbitrary misapplication of aviation guidelines

According to him, despite holding Business Class tickets for himself and an aide of his, who he said was allowed to board, Oshiomhole was prevented from boarding the aircraft.

The legislator lamented the arbitrary application of airline policies, which he said left him with a hotel bill of N1.5 million to accommodate himself and two other stranded Ghanaian passengers.

Again, in his attempt to board an Air Peace flight the following morning, Oshiomhole related that he “arrived before 6:00 a.m. for a 6:30 a.m. flight, having checked in online by 7.46p.m., the previous night.”

According to him, Air Peace, once more, denied boarding, alongside other passengers who were confused by a last-minute change in check-in policy from 30 to 45 minutes before departure.

The Senator said: “I got there at about five minutes past six. They told me the counter was closed.

“I told them, ‘No, I’ve already checked in.’ I showed them the evidence of my online check-in.

“Even before then, they had asked if I had checked in, and I told them yes, and that I had no luggage. They looked at it but still said the gate had been closed.”

The Senator said: “Meanwhile, I noticed they were still taking other people in. So I asked, ‘How can you close boarding for a 6:30 flight at 6:05?

“What is the purpose of online check-in, then?’ If I had to go through another check-in process, then what’s the point of checking in online?”

Alleged extortion, ticket racketeering at airports

The Chairman of Senate Committee on Interior explained: “While speaking to them, I saw many men and women who had been there even before me, with similar experiences. “Basically, they were selling tickets on the spot at higher prices. I’ll give you an example. A lady bought her ticket for N146,000 online.

“She arrived at the airport at 5:55 a.m. for the 6:30 a.m. flight, after the gatemen had delayed her.”

He said: “They told her she was late, and that the counter had closed for check-in. She said that was impossible, as it wasn’t even 6:00 a.m. “They told her she would be put on the next flight. She protested, saying, ‘Why? Put me on this flight.’ But they told her the flight was full and she would have to wait.”

Oshiomhole lamented: “Meanwhile, the airline was selling tickets on the spot for N250,000.

“To take advantage of the situation, they discouraged those who had bought tickets online at lower rates and sold to people willing to pay more.”

He equally noted: “I was told the counter had closed. But people were still being allowed to buy new tickets at higher prices.

“Those of us who had booked online for N146,000 were told we were late, while they sold new tickets for N250,000. That is not policy enforcement, it is extortion.”

Oshiomhole’s intervention to ‘protect’ consumers or ‘disrupt’ flight operations?

In regard to Air Peace’s claims that Oshiomhole caused a disruption in its operations, the lawmaker affirmed that he hitherto had remained calm but firm, and only intervened when several stranded passengers, including women with babies, began to protest right at the airport.

“I didn’t disrupt anything. I refused to let them ‘sort me out’ while others were left stranded.

“They offered to help me once they recognised me. I said, don’t help me, enforce my rights like every other Nigerian,” he asserted.

The growing ‘VIP culture of impunity’ in Nigeria

Miffed by the ignoble practice of according preferential treatment to Very Important Personalities (VIPs) to the detriment of other consumers, Oshiomhole rather discredited what he called the “VIP culture of impunity,” in which influential travellers or passengers are offered personalised solutions while ordinary Nigerians suffer in the aviation industry.

“That’s the real problem, big men get sorted, and the rest of Nigerians are ignored. If speaking out makes me a troublemaker, then I’ll cause trouble forever,” he averred.

Complicity of regulatory agencies with airlines to minimise consumer rights

Oshiomhole also told reporters that “I asked the manager, ‘What is this woman’s crime? She has a baby that’s no more than six months old.

“How can you refuse to board her when the aircraft is still on the ground and more people are buying tickets?’

“You cannot continue like this. Tomorrow, everyone will blame the government.”

He stated: “You have regulatory agencies, and they are all compromising. You cannot board people buying tickets on the spot, and deny those who booked days ago or checked in online.”

The legislator further narrated his ordeal: “By the time the DSS and Air Force personnel came to find out what happened, they intervened and offered to put the woman on the next flight, the same offer they had made to me earlier.

“But to board that next flight, they told her she would have to pay N109,100.”

He said: “This was in addition to the original N146,000 ticket, meaning she would spend about N256,000 for a one-hour flight to Abuja.

“There were many others in the same situation, and everyone was shouting at the airport.

“I said to the manager, ‘You must follow the rules.’ Many people were stranded, except those who could afford another ticket.”

Oshiomhole recounted: “I followed the woman to the counter and told her to do whatever they asked. Those of us who were also prevented from flying gathered there.

“Even when an officer offered me access to a lounge, people around said, ‘Comrade, please don’t leave—this is how they’ve been treating us.’

“I had to send that woman N500,000. That’s basically what happened.”

He further stated: “I told them this cannot be allowed. I checked in online and arrived on time. The aircraft hadn’t taken off.

“I’m not supposed to check in twice. The rowdiness arose because many people were denied boarding while tickets were being sold on the spot to others.”

NCAA and alleged dereliction of regulatory oversight

Underscoring the importance of effective regulatory oversight to protect aviation service consumers from needless extortion and ticket racketeering by Air Peace and the like, Senator Oshiomhole questioned the constitutional role of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

He urged the Federal Government to intervene in this regard.

The legislator said: “How can you profit from your own inefficiency? This is ruthless, primitive capitalism. Nigerians are unprotected. The government must act.”

The Senator of the Federal Republic as well cautioned that continued injustice and exploitation of consumers could lead to deeper public anger and unrest in the aviation industry.

Nigerians react to recent consumer experience with Air Peace

Sequel to Senate Oshiomhole’s recent experience with Air Peace at the Lagos Airport, several Nigerian travellers and aviation service consumers have equally indicted the airline, especially on the social media platforms.

Taking to his verified X account, Mr. Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity @TheTope_Ajayi Thursday, June 12, 2025, wrote: “This matter involving Air Peace, an airline that is notorious for flight delays and cancellations and Senator Adams Oshiomole, speaks to how we have been socially engineered and conditioned to accept that a man/woman of privilege can’t be innocent of any charge and the party that presents itself as the underdog is forever blameless.”

The Presidential aide asserted: “Air Peace has particularly never been a paragon of virtues when it comes to matters that Oshiomole complained about.”

In his reaction to the development also, certain FO@femiwole stated: “In my personal experience, Air Peace is currently the worst airline in Nigeria.

“That said, what the Senator did can never be justified. It means he would have done the same thing if he arrived for an Ibom Air flight.”

Aiyegbusi Biodun @AiyegbusiBiodun wrote: “Air Peace’s reputation is in tatters; they cannot take the moral high ground. “While the matter is being investigated, the sensible thing to do is to give Oshiomole the benefit of doubt.”

In his reaction to the issue, Adewale Adeyanju @4adeolus stated:

“Most importantly, men and women that have had reasons to complain about the services of Air Peace in the past.

“But people tagged them as haters, are now vindicated. It is not difficult to prove there are certainly CCTV footages of the whole scenario that we can rely on.”

Relating his own experience with Air Peace in connection with what Oshiomhole told reporters, Omoba Adegoke @AkileIjebu_GCON noted: “The same airline almost caused a discord between @gimbakakanda and I, when he vented his angst against its operations.

“I told him he shouldn’t have done that being a public officer.

“Later on, wisdom prevailed on me, that he is also a citizen who shouldn’t be denied his right.”

Kindly Share This Story