AN UNNAMED female passenger narrowly escaped being lynched by angry passengers at the Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo after she blocked an Ibom Air flight from departing for Abuja.
The flight, scheduled to carry 100 passengers, including the crew, was delayed due to the passenger’s actions, as revealed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu.
According to Achimugu, the issue began when the airline informed passengers that luggage exceeding 20kg might not arrive on the same flight but on the next available one. While passengers initially agreed to this arrangement, the woman became furious upon discovering her bag had not been loaded onto the aircraft.
The irate passenger disembarked and demanded that her bag be loaded immediately, threatening to prevent the flight from taking off otherwise.
Attempts by officials from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Aviation Security, and the pilot to mediate proved unsuccessful.
The NCAA spokesperson added, “The pilot even offered to carry her checked-in bag in the cabin, but the size was unsuitable. Uyo is a sunset airport, and the airspace was due to close, making timely departure critical. Despite this, the passenger refused to cooperate.”
At one point, the woman re-entered the cabin to retrieve her handbag but instead blocked the aisle, continuing her protest. Among the other 89 passengers were an infant and a chef travelling to fulfil a professional engagement in Abuja.
The situation escalated when the airspace eventually closed, forcing the flight’s cancellation. Passengers, visibly enraged, charged at the woman, but swift intervention by AVSEC officials and Ibom Air personnel, led by Amaka Echetabu, prevented violence.
“Had Aviation Security not acted promptly, the unruly passenger might have been lynched. Their timely response saved her life,” Achimugu noted.
In the meantime, the delayed passengers were provided with refreshments, transportation for Uyo residents, and hotel accommodation for those travelling from outside the city. However, Achimugu lamented that the disruption caused scheduling challenges for the airline that might take days to resolve.
