FCCPC summons Air Peace over unresolved complaints

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned the management of Air Peace following a flood of complaints from passengers over unpaid refunds for cancelled flights.

In an official notice dated June 13, 2025, the Commission ordered Air Peace to appear at its Abuja headquarters on June 23 to provide explanations and documentary evidence related to the mounting complaints. According to the FCCPC, the airline is accused of failing to refund customers for flights it cancelled—an act that contravenes the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) of 2018, which guarantees consumers the right to timely redress when services are undelivered.

“The Commission has received multiple complaints from passengers nationwide who were denied refunds after their scheduled flights were cancelled,” said Ondaje Ijagwu, FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs. He noted that such conduct not only violates consumer rights but also erodes public trust in the aviation sector.

The FCCPC has demanded several key documents from Air Peace, including:

A full log of all refund-related complaints over the past year;

A list of refunds processed;

Records of all cancelled flights;

Evidence of efforts made to mitigate the inconvenience experienced by affected passengers.

Failure to comply with the summons, the Commission warned, could attract heavy penalties, including fines or imprisonment, as outlined in the FCCPA.

This latest regulatory action comes on the heels of a public outcry led by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who recently accused Air Peace of extorting stranded passengers. The senator claimed airline staff demanded an additional ₦109,100 from him and dozens of others to board a rescheduled flight. While Air Peace denied the allegations—asserting that Oshiomhole arrived late—the senator insisted that he witnessed passengers being boarded after his arrival.

Though the FCCPC’s summons does not directly reference Oshiomhole’s case, the timing suggests that the incident may have played a role in prompting the Commission’s latest move.

The outcome of the June 23 hearing could significantly impact how domestic airlines handle consumer grievances in Nigeria, especially in light of growing concerns about accountability and transparency in the aviation industry.