Ibom Air saga: Airline operators lift flight ban on Comfort Emmanson

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Airline Operators of Nigeria have jointly withdrawn the lifetime ban placed on Comfort Emmanson after the recent fracas involving her and crew members of the Ibom Airline.

Video of the fisticuff between Emmanson and airport officials went viral online and trended across many social media platforms for days.

Consequently, airline operators had resolved not to admit Emmanson in any flight operated by the commercial airline operators in Nigeria.

However, following the federal government intervention, and appeals from several quarters, the airline operators have resolved to relax the flight ban placed on Emmanson.

A statement on Thursday signed by Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, spokesperson for AON said following the intervention of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and appeal to lift 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 AON has resolved to lift the ban.

Obiora said AON decision to lift the ban was predicated on a number of corrective measures including the following:

“The exhibition of remorse for her behaviour, as reported, the withdrawal of the complaint and consequent striking out of the charges, and release of Ms. Emmanson from custody, the statement of Government that it takes aviation safety and security very seriously and decision to draw a line after these clemencies, and the proposed retreat to retrain AVSEC personnel and airline crew on the handling of unruly and disruptive passengers.

Based on those corrective steps, Obiora said the AON decided to lift the life ban placed on Ms. Comfort Emmanson from flying with any AON-member airline for life.

The airline operators accordingly 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.

AON said 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 listed such unruly behaviour to include but not limited to the following:

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, and;

Tampering with smoke detectors or other aircraft equipment.

Obiora said all passengers are expected to respect 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.

He said that airline operators are expected to cooperate with the relevant aviation agencies and participate in the retraining retreats on how to handle cases of unruly and disruptive passengers as proposed by the Honourable Minister.

AON further reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy towards unruly passenger behaviour and enjoins aggrieved passengers to follow proper channels in expressing their grievances.