The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has issued a stern warning to air travellers, cautioning against verbal or physical assault on airline staff and cabin crew, while also reminding passengers to adhere strictly to baggage weight limits.
In a pictorial public notice posted on its official X handle on Sunday, the NCAA declared that “CABIN CREW IS NOT THE ENEMY!” and emphasised that “it is a crime to verbally or physically assault airline staff and cabin crew.”
The aviation regulator stressed that cabin crew members do not make laws but are tasked with enforcing aviation regulations and ensuring passenger safety aboard aircraft.
“Cabin crew do not make laws. They also obey the regulations. Cabin crew ensure your safety aboard the aircraft. If you feel offended, report unruly cabin crew to the NCAA via cpd.ncaa.gov.ng. Safety first! Safety next!! Safety third!!! Cabin crew is not the enemy. Make you no fight dem. E no good ooo,” the agency stated.
The authority further appealed to passengers to remain courteous when dealing with ground staff and crew at airports, warning that threats, verbal abuse, or violence will be treated as serious offences that could lead to prosecution.
The fresh advisory comes in the wake of several high-profile incidents of unruly behaviour on Nigerian flights over the past two months.
In early August, Fuji star King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1 or K1, was accused of obstructing a ValueJet operation in Abuja after insisting on boarding with alcohol and later blocking the plane. His behaviour drew sharp criticism over what some described as the selective enforcement of aviation rules.
Just days later, on August 10, a female passenger, Comfort Emmanson, physically assaulted crew members on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos after refusing to switch off her mobile phone before takeoff. She reportedly slapped a purser, fought security personnel, and even attempted to wield a fire extinguisher as a weapon. Emmanson was arraigned and remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre, while Ibom Air permanently banned her from flying with the airline. The case sparked debate over unequal punishment when compared to KWAM 1’s case.
The month ended with another viral incident on August 31, when a male passenger was forcibly dragged off an Enugu Air flight. Neither the airline nor the passenger has issued any public statement, but the video fuelled further concerns about how such disputes are managed in Nigerian aviation.
All cases have led to calls for better regulatory enforcement and consistent handling of passenger assaults on crew members by Nigerian aviation authorities and the public.
Credit: punchng.com
