The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned the management of Air Peace Limited following a surge in passenger complaints over the airline’s alleged failure to refund ticket fares for cancelled flights.
In a notice dated June 13, 2025, the Commission ordered Air Peace to appear before its Abuja headquarters on Monday, June 23, to respond to allegations of widespread consumer rights violations and non-compliance with statutory refund obligations.
A statement issued on Monday by FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, stated that the airline’s actions may be in breach of Sections 130(1)(a), 130(1)(b), and 130(2)(b) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018. These provisions guarantee consumers the right to timely refunds when bookings or reservations are unfulfilled due to service providers’ failings.
The Commission has directed the airline to submit several key documents, including a comprehensive complaint log relating to refunds over the past 12 months, records of all processed refunds, a full list of cancelled flights across all routes within the same period, and evidence of efforts made to mitigate inconvenience to affected passengers.
According to the statement:
> “The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has summoned the management of Air Peace Limited over a deluge of consumer complaints across the country concerning the non-refund of ticket fares, even in cases where the airline cancelled scheduled flights.
“Such conduct may constitute a violation of Sections 130(1)(a) and (b), and 130(2)(b) of the FCCPA, which uphold the right of consumers to timely refunds when services paid for are not delivered due to the fault of the service provider. These provisions reinforce fair business practices and protect consumers from unjust treatment.”
The Commission cited Sections 32 and 33 of the FCCPA as the legal basis for the summons, warning that failure to comply may result in stiff penalties, including fines or imprisonment.
Though not explicitly mentioned in the FCCPC’s statement, the summons comes shortly after a public altercation involving Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Air Peace staff. The senator had accused airline officials of engaging in racketeering and extorting passengers after allegedly missing his flight. He claimed that staff demanded an additional N109,100 to reschedule him and around 20–30 other affected passengers to a later flight, despite their timely arrival.
Air Peace, however, denied wrongdoing, insisting that Oshiomhole arrived late at the airport — a claim the senator strongly refuted, alleging selective passenger processing and extortion at the departure gate.
The FCCPC’s action marks a significant step in addressing consumer grievances and reinforcing accountability within Nigeria’s aviation industry.
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