Max Air stranded passengers at Maiduguri Airport after pilots protested unpaid debts, forcing travellers to disembark before a later resolution

Max Air stranded passengers for several hours at the Maiduguri International Airport on Monday after a dramatic face-off between the airline’s pilots and management over unpaid entitlements.

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The unexpected protest caused confusion and panic among travellers who had already boarded the aircraft, awaiting departure before being abruptly asked to disembark.

According to eyewitnesses, the pilots refused to proceed with the flight, citing unresolved financial issues, while flight attendants attributed the delay to unpaid allowances owed to the flight crew.

One passenger, who identified himself as Shola, said boarding had been completed when airline staff suddenly instructed everyone to return to the terminal.

“We had all taken our seats and were waiting to take off when they asked us to disembark,” the traveller recounted.

He added that passengers waited in uncertainty for several hours before learning that the dispute had been resolved.

“There was tension initially, but after some time, we were told the issue had been settled. We were later asked to re-board the aircraft,” he said.

Confirming the incident, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the matter was “an internal issue” that had been resolved without regulatory intervention.

“The flight later departed around 2:00 pm, which means the issue was resolved. Since it was an internal matter and the aircraft eventually flew, we consider it closed,” Achimugu stated.

He explained that while the NCAA oversees safety and operational compliance, salary-related disputes between airline staff and management fall outside its direct purview unless they pose safety risks.

Reacting to the incident, Max Air’s Executive Director, Shehu Wada, dismissed the standoff as a result of miscommunication, stressing that it had been amicably resolved.

“It is a communication gap issue, and it has been resolved. That is how I can describe it basically,” Wada said.

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The temporary disruption, though later cleared, left passengers visibly frustrated and raised fresh concerns about the financial health and internal management of one of Nigeria’s oldest private airlines.