The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned the management of Air Peace Limited following multiple complaints from passengers regarding non-refunded ticket fares, even in cases where the airline cancelled scheduled flights.
In a formal notice dated June 3, 2025, the Commission directed Air Peace to appear at its Abuja headquarters on Monday, June 23, 2025, to answer mounting public outrage and charges of consumer rights breaches.
On Monday in Abuja, Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs, issued a statement revealing the decision.
Ijagwu claimed that the airline’s actions violated Sections 130(1)(a) and (b) as well as 130(2)(b) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which provide consumers the right to quick refunds when bookings or reservations are not honoured owing to a service provider’s failure.
He added that the summons was issued pursuant to Sections 32 and 33 of the Act, which require Air Peace to submit certain documented evidence.
This comprises a complaint log of refund-related issues over the last 12 months, records of all processed refunds to date, a list of all cancelled flights on all routes during the same time period, and steps done to alleviate hardship for impacted passengers.
The statement read: “The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has summoned the management of Air Peace Limited over a deluge of consumer complaints from across the country relating to the non-refund of ticket fares, even in instances where the airline had cancelled its flight operations.
“These actions potentially contravene Sections 130(1)(a) and (b) and 130(2)(b) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which expressly guarantee consumers the right to timely refunds where advance bookings, reservations, or orders are unfulfilled due to a service provider’s failure. This provision enshrines the principle of fair dealing and safeguards consumers against unfair, unjust, or unreasonable practices by service providers.
“In a formal summons dated June 13, 2025, the Commission, invoking Sections 32 and 33 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, requires Air Peace to appear before the Commission at its Abuja Headquarters on Monday, June 23, 2025.
“Specifically, Section 33(3) of the FCCPA mandates compliance, and failure attracts severe sanctions, including fines or imprisonment.”
Although not stated in the statement, the summons comes only days after Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Air Peace staff were involved in a dispute over suspected extortion of Nigerian passengers.
The senator stated that he missed a flight due to airline executives’ racketeering. While Air Peace claimed that Oshiomhole arrived late at the airport, the senator insisted that he, along with other angry passengers, saw workers boarding passengers who arrived later.
Oshiomhole claimed that 20 to 30 other customers were treated similarly, with airline workers allegedly seeking an extra N109,100 to reschedule them for an 8:30 a.m. flight.
