- After lifting life flight ban on Emmanson
Sade Williams/Business a.m.
Domestic airline owners in Nigeria say they will be working with aviation agencies in the country by participating in retraining retreats on how to handle cases of unruly and disruptive passengers proposed by the minister of aviation and aerospace development.
The decision to cooperate on the training that would involve their personnel comes in the wake of recent onboard and ground disruptions of flights involving their member airlines, Ibom Air and ValuJet respectively.
The operators under their umbrella association of domestic airline owners, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), also lifted a life ban placed on an Ibom Air passenger, Comfort Emmanson, from flying with any AON-member airline.
In a statement signed by Obiora Okonkwo, spokesperson for AON, the association called on the relevant aviation agencies to immediately commence the sensitization of the public on the dangers and consequences of unruly behaviour at airport terminals and onboard aircraft, as spelt out in section 85 of the Civil Aviation Act, 2022 and Part 17 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023.
The body said it believes that incidents of unruly and disruptive behaviour at airport terminals and onboard aircraft will greatly reduce if passengers are aware that such behaviour poses a danger to flight safety and are offences under the law, punishable with a fine or imprisonment or both.
While itemising what can be termed as unruly behaviour, the AON said: “Assaulting, intimidating, or threatening any flight or cabin crew member; using a mobile phone and/or other communication/electronic gadget on board aircraft against the instruction of the pilot-in-command or flight crew or cabin crew; smoking on board aircraft or in a non-smoking area of the terminal building; fighting or other disorderly conduct on board an aircraft or at the terminal building; any conduct constituting a nuisance to other passengers; disobedience of lawful instruction issued by the pilot-in-command, flight crew, cabin crew, check-in-staff and/or security screening staff; any conduct that endangers the safety of flight operations and tampering with smoke detectors or other aircraft equipment.
The AON reiterates the power of the pilot-in-command or an AVSEC officer, as provided in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, to restrain and de-board an unruly and disruptive passenger and to take all necessary measures to protect the safety of the aircraft, the terminal building or of persons and property therein, to maintain good order and discipline on board or at the terminal building and to enable him deliver such person to competent authorities.
It reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy towards unruly passenger behaviour and enjoined aggrieved passengers to follow proper channels in expressing their grievances.
The AON said the decision to lift the life ban was consequent upon the intervention of Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, and an appeal to lift the life-time ban placed on Comfort Emmanson by its members for unruly behaviour onboard an Ibom Air flight and its consideration of all the circumstances of the matter, including the exhibition of remorse for her behaviour, the withdrawal of the complaint and consequent striking out of the charges, culminating in the release of Emmanson from custody.
