A viral video showed the incident, which has since been condemned, and Omisore arrived safely in Lagos after boarding a Kenyan Airways flight to the country.
This is because Kenya Airways’ acting station manager is under the jurisdiction of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Omisore expressed her annoyance at the airline staff’s treatment of her and other Nigerians in a video that was shared on Monday by Tunde Moshood, Special Advisor to Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo.
Omisore was reportedly getting ready for a subsequent flight in Nairobi, Kenya, when the altercation took place.
“Our attention has been drawn to several cases of inhuman treatments of Nigerian passengers in Nairobi by @KenyaAirways,” Moshood said.
“A case of Ms. Omisore G. who flew from Manchester to Lagos, connecting-Man-CDG-NBO-LOS, only to be denied boarding in Nairobi on the 2nd leg of same ticket.”
But Kenya Airways replied Moshood via X, saying the passenger was denied boarding because it was discovered that she did not have a Schengen visa for France, which is a requirement to enter any European Union country.
The airline noted that it offered an alternative route from London to Manchester, which Omisore declined, leading to a verbal altercation.
“We strongly condemn such conduct. While we remain committed to delivering exceptional service, we expect all interactions to be based on mutual respect. Our employees deserve to work in a safe and dignified environment, and we do not tolerate any abuse from our employees or guests,” the airline said.
According to the statement, the video did not show the full context of the incident, alleging that Omisore later engaged in inappropriate behaviour by throwing used sanitary pads at the airline’s staff.
Kenya Airways stated further that Omisore requested accommodation after being denied boarding, but noted that it does not provide accommodation in cases of visa-related issues.
It explained that the incident has been reported and is under investigation by the relevant security agencies.
“The incident has been reported and is under investigation by the relevant security agencies. We are committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure the well-being and safety of our employees and guests at all times,” Kenya Airways said.
But the victim was said to have safely boarded a Kenyan Airways flight heading back to Lagos, Nigeria.
‘History Of Mistreatment’
Also weighing in on the matter, the NCAA said Kenya Airways allegedly has a history of mistreating Nigerians, including the agency’s staff.
NCAA Director of Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu, said the acting station manager of Kenya Airways in Lagos has been invited to a mandatory meeting today to review the incident and address the concerns raised by the authority.
He said Kenya Airways will be asked to provide CCTV footage to support its claims that Omisore threw the sanitary pads at its staff.
“I have advised the passenger that unruly behaviour is inexcusable at any airport and she can be blacklisted by the airline, and even pay fines. The NCAA does not condone unruly behaviour,” the director said.
“There is no basis to have tried to forcefully delete her video. You should not have allowed her to board your flight from Nigeria IF she was not qualified due to visa requirements. You issued her boarding passes and let her leave Lagos. She flew into Nigeria via your airline on the same route.
She says she called the airline PRIOR to purchasing the ticket and was informed that she was eligible since she had a BRP.
“Your employees’ remarks were unsuitable for someone in the field. The phrase “Call your president” is quite suggestive.
“When your staff asked you to provide proof that she was bleeding, you will be required to present CCTV footage demonstrating that she threw her used sanitary towels at them instead of setting them on the table.”
The meeting was originally scheduled at 1 pm, but according to Achimugu, Kenya Airways has asked for a 24-hour extension from the NCAA to offer further information on the issue.
