Passengers stranded for 11 hours; Sowore condemns airline and NCAA.

The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has criticised domestic airline operators and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for the way passengers were treated during extended flight delays at Nigerian airports.

Sowore made the remarks in a statement posted on his official page after meeting passengers who were scheduled to fly from Lagos to Owerri on United Nigeria Airlines.

He said that several passengers were left stranded at the airport after their flight experienced repeated delays, with some reportedly waiting for more than 11 hours without receiving adequate information or support from the airline.

Sowore added that the airline repeatedly postponed the departure time without providing clear explanations to affected travellers.

“Yesterday, I met several passengers scheduled to travel from Lagos to Owerri on United Nigeria Airlines. They had been abandoned to their fate after spending the entire day at the airport,” Sowore said.

“Some had been stranded for more than 11 hours, while the airline repeatedly postponed their departure time without providing clear explanations or adequate care.”

Sowore said the incident reflected broader concerns about customer service and regulatory oversight within Nigeria’s aviation sector.

He argued that aviation regulators, particularly the NCAA, have not done enough to address what he described as recurring cases of poor treatment of passengers by domestic airlines.

“Although we had a cordial interaction, that does not prevent us from once again stating the obvious: Nigeria’s aviation regulators, especially the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, have failed in their responsibility to rein in the irresponsible conduct of domestic airlines,” he stated.

He further alleged that flight delays have become commonplace among some domestic carriers, while communication with passengers remains inadequate.

“What is even more disturbing is that many of these airlines simply do not care. Delays have become routine, poor communication has become standard practice, and passengers are treated as though their time, comfort, and dignity have no value,” he added.