Kenya Airways has apologized to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Nigerian passenger Gloria Omisore over her mistreatment in Nairobi, Kenya. The airline has also agreed to compensate her for the distress caused by its negligence.
The apology came during a meeting in Abuja between NCAA officials and Kenya Airways representatives, including Country Manager James Nganga, Station Manager Eric Mukira, and Duty Manager Ezenwa Ehumadu. NCAA’s Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu, disclosed that the airline admitted fault for failing to identify Omisore’s transit visa requirements before allowing her to board from Lagos.
Omisore, a Nigerian with a British residence permit but no Schengen visa, had booked a Manchester-Paris-Nairobi-Lagos (inbound) and Lagos-Nairobi-Paris-Manchester (outbound) ticket after confirming her eligibility with Kenya Airways. While her inbound journey was seamless, her return was disrupted when the airline overlooked the need for a transit visa for Paris. The oversight was only discovered in Nairobi, leaving her stranded.
To rectify the situation, the airline offered her a direct flight to London at no extra cost but required her to wait an additional 10 hours after an already exhausting 17-hour layover. When she requested accommodation and medical assistance due to exhaustion and menstrual bleeding, Kenya Airways refused, leading to a heated exchange with airline staff, which was captured in a viral video.
The NCAA strongly condemned the behavior of Kenya Airways staff, particularly a remark made to Omisore telling her to “call your president.” The agency criticized the airline’s initial response, which included misleading claims that Omisore refused the re-routing and acted disruptively. The airline also alleged she threw used sanitary pads at staff—an accusation she has not publicly addressed.
Following the NCAA’s intervention, Kenya Airways retracted its initial statement, admitting to “obfuscation of facts” and issuing a formal apology. The airline has been directed to refund Omisore and compensate her for the distress caused.
The NCAA emphasized that all airlines operating in Nigeria must adhere to regulations and provide properly trained customer relations officers to prevent similar incidents. Kenya Airways has also pledged to take disciplinary action against the staff involved in the incident.
