… Pilot Refuses Take-Off Until Man Is Removed
There was a mild drama on Wednesday, when an elderly passenger was removed from a Nigerian domestic flight after he allegedly threatened to slap an air hostess who asked him to vacate an emergency exit seat.
The incident, which occurred at an unnamed airport, forced the pilot to suspend the flight until the man was escorted out of the aircraft by security operatives.
Spokesman for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, confirmed the development in a statement posted on his social media page, stressing that threats of violence against crew members will never be tolerated.
According to him, the man was initially seated near the aircraft’s exit door but was politely asked by cabin crew to change his seat in line with aviation safety regulations, which require only able-bodied passengers to occupy such positions.
Achimugu explained that the passenger became unruly and “vehemently declined” the request, before twice threatening to slap the hostess in defiance.
“The pilot insisted he would not operate the flight if the passenger remained onboard,” Achimugu said, adding that the decision was taken purely on safety grounds.
Airport security, including Nigerian Air Force personnel, were later drafted in to de-escalate the situation before the man was deplaned. NCAA’s Consumer Protection Officers were also on hand to mediate.
The elderly man, who was not named, later apologised at the terminal and was told he could be rebooked on a later flight if no further issues arose.
Achimugu used the opportunity to caution air travellers against threatening aviation workers, insisting that all grievances must be channelled through the NCAA’s official consumer protection platform.
He said: “If you are not satisfied with the quality of service you have received, kindly report to the NCAA Consumer Protection Department via http://cpd.ncaa.gov.ng, and a resolution will be reached.”
The NCAA spokesman reiterated that safe and respectful conduct between passengers and crew remains a shared responsibility, warning that violent behaviour would not be condoned
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