The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned Air Peace Limited to answer for numerous complaints from passengers who say they have not received refunds for flights cancelled by the airline.
In a statement released Monday, FCCPC Director of Public Affairs Ondaje Ijagwu said the commission has received a deluge of complaints nationwide about unrefunded ticket fares, even in situations where Air Peace itself cancelled the flights. The commission’s summons, dated June 13, directs Air Peace management to appear at FCCPC headquarters in Abuja on June 23.
According to the FCCPC, Air Peace’s alleged failure to process refunds may violate Sections 130(1)(a), 130(1)(b), and 130(2)(b) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018. These sections guarantee consumers the right to timely refunds when service providers fail to deliver prepaid services.
The commission has ordered Air Peace to provide several documents, including a log of refund-related complaints from the past year, records of processed refunds, a list of all cancelled flights within that period, and details of steps taken to reduce passenger hardship.
Under Nigerian law, airlines are required to promptly reimburse passengers when flights are cancelled. The FCCPA entitles consumers to fair and timely refunds when a business fails to deliver a prepaid service. In addition, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Regulations 2023 specify that passengers must be reimbursed or re-routed if a flight is cancelled. For domestic flights paid in cash, refunds must be processed immediately; for other payment methods or international routes, refunds must be completed within 14 days.
This latest development is separate from an earlier FCCPC investigation into alleged exploitative pricing by Air Peace for advance bookings on certain domestic routes, a probe that the airline is currently challenging in court.
The FCCPC has warned that failure to comply with the summons could result in sanctions, including fines or imprisonment, as stipulated under Section 33(3) of the FCCPA.
The commission’s action reinforces the expectation that airlines operating in Nigeria must fulfill their refund obligations promptly and transparently when flights are cancelled, ensuring consumer rights are protected.
