The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has lifted the lifetime flight ban imposed on Comfort Emmanson, an Ibom Air passenger earlier penalised for unruly conduct.
AON spokesperson, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, announced the decision in a statement on Thursday, citing an appeal from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
He said the sanction was withdrawn after considering Emmanson’s expression of remorse, the withdrawal of the complaint against her, the dismissal of court charges, and her release from custody.
Okonkwo commended the Federal Government for introducing a retraining programme for aviation security personnel and airline crew on managing disruptive passengers. He also urged aviation agencies to intensify public awareness on the dangers and legal consequences of such behaviour, as outlined in the Civil Aviation Act, 2022, and Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023.
He noted that offences under these provisions include assault or threats against crew members, disobeying safety instructions, smoking in prohibited areas, fighting, disorderly conduct, and tampering with aircraft equipment.
The AON reaffirmed that pilots and aviation security officers are empowered to restrain and de-board disruptive passengers for handover to authorities.
It also pledged cooperation with aviation agencies in the retraining exercise proposed by the minister.