Ola Akinwunmi
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned Air Peace Limited over mounting complaints from passengers regarding unrefunded ticket fares and repeated flight cancellations.
In a formal summons dated June 13, 2025, the Commission ordered the airline’s management to appear before it on Monday, June 23, at its headquarters in Abuja. The move comes amid widespread public outcry and accusations of consumer rights violations.
A statement released on Monday by the FCCPC Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the Commission had received a “deluge of complaints” from affected passengers, many of whom claim they were denied refunds even when flights were cancelled by the airline itself.
“These actions potentially contravene Sections 130(1)(a) and (b), and 130(2)(b) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which expressly guarantee consumers the right to timely refunds where advance bookings, reservations, or orders are unfulfilled due to a service provider’s failure,” the statement read.
The FCCPC has requested that Air Peace provide a comprehensive complaint log covering the last 12 months, including details of all refund-related issues, records of processed refunds, a list of cancelled flights across all routes, and any measures the airline has taken to mitigate inconvenience caused to passengers.
According to the Commission, the summons was issued pursuant to Sections 32 and 33 of the FCCPA, which mandate cooperation with investigations and the submission of relevant documents. Non-compliance could result in penalties, including fines or imprisonment, under Section 33(3) of the Act.
Although not explicitly referenced in the statement, the summons closely follows a recent controversy involving Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Air Peace. The senator alleged that airline officials engaged in racketeering after he and dozens of other passengers were denied boarding despite arriving on time for a scheduled flight. He claimed staff asked passengers to pay an additional N109,100 to be rebooked on a later flight, describing the situation as extortionate and disgraceful.
Air Peace responded by stating that Oshiomhole arrived late and missed the check-in window. However, the senator maintained that airline personnel prioritized other passengers who arrived after him and ignored those with valid tickets.
With tensions rising and the airline’s conduct under scrutiny, consumer advocacy groups have applauded the FCCPC’s intervention, calling for greater transparency and accountability across Nigeria’s aviation sector.