Kenya Airways has issued a formal apology to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for the mistreatment of a Nigerian passenger, Ms. Gloria Omisore. The apology comes after a viral social media video showed a heated argument between Ms. Omisore and the airline’s staff at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The incident occurred when Ms. Omisore was traveling from Lagos to Manchester via Nairobi and Paris. However, upon arriving in Nairobi for her connecting flight to Paris, the airline discovered that she did not possess a Schengen Visa. Despite this, the airline had earlier confirmed her eligibility to fly the route without a Schengen Visa.
Investigations by the NCAA revealed that Ms. Omisore had called Kenya Airways on December 7, 2025, to confirm her eligibility to fly the Manchester-Paris-Nairobi-Lagos route. She informed the airline of her Nigerian nationality and British resident permit, but was told she was qualified without needing a Schengen Visa.The airline admitted that its staff made an error in not identifying the visa issue earlier. Instead, they boarded and flew Ms. Omisore from Lagos to Nairobi, only to discover the visa issue upon her arrival. The airline then offered her a direct flight to London at no extra cost, but required her to wait an additional 10 hours.
The NCAA summoned Kenya Airways’ country manager, James Nganga, who apologized for the airline’s mistakes, including the misleading public statement. The airline also admitted that its staff insulted the office of the President of Nigeria during the altercation, prompting a further apology and assurance of disciplinary measures.The apology and admission of fault by Kenya Airways mark a significant step towards resolving the incident. The NCAA will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that the airline takes necessary steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
