FCCPC summons Air Peace over flight cancellations, unpaid refunds
Following many passenger complaints over non-refunded ticket fares—even when the airline canceled scheduled flights—the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has summoned Air Peace Limited's management.
The Commission summoned Air Peace to appear at its Abuja offices on Monday, June 23, 2025, in response to mounting public uproar and claims of infringement of consumer rights, in a formal notice dated June 3, 2025.
The decision was revealed Monday in Abuja in a statement released by Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs.
Sections 130(1)(a) and (b) and 130(2)(b) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 provide customers the right to timely reimbursements when bookings or reservations are not honored owing to a service provider's failure, and Ijagwu said the airline's actions violated these provisions.
He clarified that the summons was sent in accordance with Sections 32 and 33 of the Act, which mandate that Air Peace produce particular supporting documentation. A complaint log of refund-related issues throughout the previous 12 months, records of all refunds processed thus far, a list of all flights canceled on all routes during the same time period, and steps taken to lessen the hardship experienced by impacted passengers are all included in this.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has summoned Air Peace Limited's management in response to a flurry of nationwide consumer complaints about ticket fares not being refunded, even when the airline had canceled flight operations, the statement said.
“These actions potentially contravene Sections 130(1)(a) and (b), and 130(2)(b) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which expressly guarantee consumers the right to timely refunds where advance bookings, reservations, or orders are unfulfilled due to a service provider’s failure. This provision enshrines the principle of fair dealing and safeguards consumers against unfair, unjust, or unreasonable practices by service providers.
“In a formal summons dated June 13, 2025, the Commission, invoking Sections 32 and 33 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, requires Air Peace to appear before the Commission at its Abuja Headquarters on Monday, June 23, 2025.
“Specifically, Section 33(3) of the FCCPA mandates compliance, and failure attracts severe sanctions, including fines or imprisonment.”
The summons, albeit not stated in the statement, was issued just days after a disagreement involving alleged extortion of Nigerian passengers erupted between Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Air Peace executives.
The senator's alleged absence from a flight, which he attributed on airline officials' racketeering, caused the situation to worsen. The senator insisted that he and other irate travelers saw employees boarding passengers who arrived later, despite Air Peace's claim that Oshiomhole arrived at the airport late.
About 20 to 30 other customers, according to Oshiomhole, received identical treatment, with airline employees allegedly requesting an extra N109,100 to move them to an 8:30 am departure.
