By Obinna Uballa
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has lifted the lifetime flight ban placed on Comfort Emmanson, an Ibom Air passenger earlier sanctioned for unruly behaviour on board.
AON spokesperson, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, announced the decision in a statement on Thursday, noting that it followed an appeal from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
According to Okonkwo, the operators agreed to review and remove the sanction after considering several factors, including Emmanson’s public expression of remorse, the withdrawal of the original complaint, the dismissal of charges against her, and her subsequent release from custody.
He commended the Federal Government’s plan to organise retreats to retrain aviation security staff and airline crew on managing disruptive passengers, urging aviation agencies to intensify public awareness about the dangers and legal consequences of such behaviour.
Citing Section 85 of the Civil Aviation Act, 2022 and Part 17 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023, Okonkwo noted that unruly conduct includes assaulting or threatening crew members, ignoring safety instructions, smoking in prohibited areas, fighting, causing disorder, or tampering with aircraft equipment.
He stressed that pilots-in-command and aviation security (AVSEC) officers are empowered to restrain and de-board disruptive passengers, handing them over to the appropriate authorities to safeguard flight safety and maintain order.
“We confirm that our members will work with relevant aviation agencies and take part in the retraining retreats on handling unruly passenger cases as proposed by the minister,” Okonkwo said.
