By Attah Ede
The Airline Operators of Nigeria(AON), on Thursday, pardoned an Ibom Air passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmanson and lifted the lifetime ban earlier placed on her as a result of her unruly behavior during an Ibom Air Flight to Lagos.
The Public Relations Officer of the association, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, in a statement on Thursday that was made available to newsmen, explained that the decision came after an appeal from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
He further stated that the operators accepted to lift the ban after taking into consideration all relevant factors, such as Emmanson’s expression of remorse, the withdrawal of the complaint, the dismissal of charges, and her release from custody.
“We commend the Federal Government for introducing a retreat to retrain Aviation Security staff and airline crew on managing disruptive passengers.
“We also call on aviation agencies to enhance public awareness about the risks and legal repercussions of unruly behaviour, as provided in Section 85 of the Civil Aviation Act, 2022 and Part 17 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023.
“The curious rehabilitation of K1
covers assault or threats to crew members, refusal to follow safety instructions, smoking in restricted areas, fighting, disorderly actions, or interfering with aircraft equipment.
“The pilots-in-command and AVSEC officers have the authority to restrain and de-board disruptive passengers, handing them over to competent authorities to ensure flight safety and order”, the statement said.
The association assured that members shall cooperate with the relevant aviation agencies and participate in the retraining retreats on how to handle cases of unruly and disruptive passengers as proposed by the minister.
