Airline operators bans passenger for life over assault on Ibom Air crew

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has banned Comfort Emmanson, a passenger on Ibom Air flight Q9 303, for life over an alleged physical assault on members of the airline’s crew.

The incident, which occurred on Sunday aboard a Uyo-to-Lagos flight, was captured in videos that have since circulated online. The footage has sparked debate among Nigerians, with some questioning the severity of the punishment.

Ibom Air, in its account of the events, accused Emmanson of multiple counts of assault and failure to comply with safety instructions.

“She bluntly refused to comply until the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement, after which a fellow passenger seated beside her took the phone and switched it off,” the airline said.

In a statement on Monday, Obiora Okonkwo, AON spokesperson, said the ban takes immediate effect and applies across all domestic and international routes operated by its members.

“This was not just disruptive; it was a sustained, violent attack that placed the lives of crew, passengers, and the integrity of the aircraft itself at risk. This behaviour is unacceptable.

“Therefore, effective immediately, the AON has placed Ms. Emmanson on its ‘No Fly’ list indefinitely. She is hereby banned from flying with any AON member either domestically or internationally for life,” he said.

Okonkwo also referenced other recent cases involving high-profile passengers, including Nigerian musician King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1), who was banned for six months by ValueJet, and Senator Adams Oshiomhole, accused of unruly behaviour towards Air Peace staff.

“Such incidents have become one too many with the most recent being the incident involving Nigerian musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1) on ValueJet. Same as the unruly behaviour of Senator Adams Oshiomhole towards the members of staff of Air Peace,” he said.

He commended Ibom Air for handling the incident “swiftly and professionally” and reaffirmed AON’s zero-tolerance policy towards unruly passengers.

“While passengers have the right to express grievances, such actions must follow due process,” Okonkwo said.

The incident has, however, raised questions about fairness and consistency in AON’s disciplinary actions. Critics point to the disparity between the lifetime ban on Emmanson and the six-month sanction given to KWAM 1.

AON also criticised the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and its Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit over recurring confrontations between passengers and airline staff.

The organisation called for an urgent review of airport safety protocols to address security lapses in the aviation sector.