Dana Air CEO Jacky Hathiramani leaves Nigeria amid growing complaints from passengers and staff over unpaid refunds and wages, leaving many in limbo.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Chief Executive Officer of Dana Air, Jacky Hathiramani, has left Nigeria without addressing the financial concerns of hundreds of passengers and staff members owed refunds for unused tickets and unpaid wages.

Dana Air, which was grounded in April 2024 due to safety concerns after an incident at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, has been embroiled in a growing crisis since its suspension.

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Following a series of incidents and a final safety lapse that led to the airline’s grounding by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), passengers and staff have been left in limbo.

Many have turned to social media and even staged protests, demanding refunds and payment of wages. Staff members, in particular, have also shut down the entrance gate to the airline’s headquarters in Lagos in a bid to get their voices heard.

The crisis escalated when Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, revealed in an exclusive interview that Dana’s CEO had fled the country.

Achimugu confirmed that while the airline had been grounded due to its poor financial standing, there were no immediate prospects for the refund of passengers or payment to employees, as the airline’s owner had reportedly left Nigeria.

“The owner has left the country and has fired almost all of his staff. There is no one left at Dana Air to hold responsible,” Achimugu explained.

He further remarked that, due to Dana Air’s financial instability, the airline was unable to pay any refunds at present.

The NCAA official also pointed out that while the agency had summoned the airline on multiple occasions, no resolution had been reached.

“For now, there is really no one we can hold responsible,” Achimugu said. “If the owner of the airline has left and the company is in financial trouble, there’s very little that can be done.”

Passengers who had purchased tickets and employees who have not been paid for months now face an uncertain future.

Many are calling for action from the Nigerian government, particularly from the Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to ensure they are compensated.

However, with Dana Air’s CEO no longer in the country, and the airline’s financial situation dire, it remains unclear how or when these outstanding payments will be addressed.