Kenya Airways pays sanction after passenger dispute

Kenya Airways pays sanction after Gloria Omisore dispute, complying with NCAA’s penalty six months after the consumer rights case erupted

The airline settled the penalty on Wednesday, 17 September 2025—six months after the sanction was announced.

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The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, confirmed the payment in a statement and on his official X account.

According to Achimugu, the settlement followed several meetings involving the Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, officials from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and representatives of Kenya Airways.

While welcoming the compliance, he stressed that the payment does not close the case since the timeframe for resolving passenger complaints has long expired.

The sanction stemmed from an incident in February 2025, when Gloria Omisore, travelling from Lagos to Manchester via Nairobi and Paris, was denied boarding at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for lacking a Schengen transit visa. Omisore claimed she had earlier been assured by the airline that no such visa was required.

Stranded for 17 hours in Nairobi and later delayed for another 10 hours on an alternative London route, Omisore requested accommodation and medical care.

Kenya Airways declined, arguing that passengers denied boarding for visa reasons were not entitled to such assistance.

The situation escalated into a heated confrontation, caught on video, that went viral and triggered widespread outrage in Nigeria.

After an investigation, the NCAA fined Kenya Airways N3 million, ordered compensation of 1,000 Special Drawing Rights for each of the three affected passengers, and demanded a public apology.

The regulator stressed that the sanctions were corrective, aimed at improving airline practices, not merely punitive.

For months, the airline resisted compliance, prompting public criticism and continued media coverage of the Omisore case.

The eventual payment signals both accountability and the NCAA’s determination to enforce consumer protection rules.

“The payment of sanction fines does not conclude the issues,” Achimugu cautioned.

“The NCAA will follow through and is assuring both passengers and airlines of its commitment to protecting their rights and responsibilities.”

Despite the controversy, the NCAA acknowledged Kenya Airways’ long-standing relationship with Nigeria, noting that the sanction was case-specific and not a condemnation of the airline’s broader operations.

The resolution highlights Nigeria’s growing insistence on consumer rights in aviation.

By securing compliance from a major international carrier, analysts say the NCAA has sent a powerful message: violations will not be tolerated, and passengers’ rights will be defended.

For Gloria Omisore and the other affected passengers, the settlement offers some vindication.