AON lifts life ban on Ibom Air passenger, silent on Ambassadorial appointment
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has lifted the life-time ban placed on Ms. Comfort Emmanson by its members for unruly behaviour onboard Ibom Air Flight Q9 303 from Uyo to Lagos on August 10, 2025.
The group said this followed the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), Emmanson’s remorse for her behaviour as well as the withdrawal of the complaint and consequent striking out of the charges against her.
Recall that Emmanson was freed from custody on Wednesday after the charges preferred against her were struck out by an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ogba.
The federal government also reduced the six-month ban on King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM1) who was earlier involved in another case of unruly behaviour with ValueJet to one month.
KWAM1, according to the Minister, would also be engaged by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), as an Ambassador for airport security protocol.
Keyamo, who clarified that the Fuji star would discharge the duty pro bono, also suggested that AON would appoint Emmanson as an Ambassador.
However, spokesperson of AON, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, who announced the resolutions of the body in a statement on Thursday, was silent on the appointment of Emmanson as an ambassador as hinted by the minister.
The AON also called on the relevant aviation agencies to immediately commence the sensitization of the public on the dangers and consequences of unruly behaviour at airport terminals and onboard aircraft, as spelt out in Section 85 of the Civil Aviation Act, 2022 and Part 17 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023.
The AON believes that incidents of unruly and disruptive behaviour at airport terminals and onboard aircraft “will greatly reduce if passengers are aware that such behaviour poses a danger to flight safety and are offences under the law, punishable with a fine or imprisonment or both.”
It highlighted what constitutes unruly behaviour to include but not limited to: assaulting, intimidating, or threatening any flight or cabin crew member;Using a mobile phone and/or other communication/electronic gadget on board aircraft against the instruction of the pilot-in-command or flight crew or cabin crew; Smoking on board aircraft or in a non-smoking area of the terminal building; Fighting or other disorderly conduct on board an aircraft or at the terminal building; any conduct constituting a nuisance to other passengers; Disobedience of lawful instruction issued by the pilot-in-command, flight crew, cabin crew, check-in-staff and/or security screening staff; any conduct that endangers the safety of flight operations.
The AON reiterated the power of the pilot-in-command or an AVSEC officer, as provided in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, “to restrain and de-board an unruly and disruptive passenger and to take all necessary measures to protect the safety of the aircraft, the terminal building or of persons and property therein, to maintain good order and discipline on board or at the terminal building and to enable him deliver such person to competent authorities.”
The body however reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy towards unruly behaviour and enjoined aggrieved passengers to follow proper channels in expressing their grievances.
