FCCPC Summons Air Peace Over Passenger Refund Complaints

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned Air Peace management over a rising number of consumer complaints about the airline’s failure to refund fares for cancelled flights.

In a statement issued on Monday, FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the airline is expected to appear before the Commission at its Abuja headquarters on June 23, 2025. The Commission cited violations of Sections 130(1)(a), 130(1)(b), and 130(2)(b) of the FCCPA 2018, which mandate timely refunds for unfulfilled services due to a provider’s failure.

“These provisions guarantee consumers the right to refunds and protect against unfair or exploitative practices by service providers,” the Commission stated.

In a formal summons dated June 13, the FCCPC also invoked Sections 32 and 33 of the Act, mandating Air Peace to provide detailed documentation. These include refund complaint logs for the past year, records of all processed refunds, a list of cancelled flights across all routes over the same period, and actions taken to reduce passenger inconvenience.

The Commission emphasized that failure to comply with the summons could attract severe penalties, including fines or imprisonment, as outlined in Section 33(3) of the Act.

This action follows an earlier probe launched in December 2024 into allegations of exploitative pricing by Air Peace, particularly regarding inflated costs on some domestic routes. In response, the airline filed a legal suit to block the FCCPC from proceeding with the investigation—an issue the Commission described as a separate matter.

The summons also comes in the wake of a recent controversy involving Senator Adams Oshiomhole. The former Edo State governor and serving senator allegedly shut down the Zulu Terminal at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed Airport after he was denied boarding for an early morning flight, despite checking in online. He accused the airline staff of extortion.

Air Peace, however, denied the accusation, calling it a “deliberate falsehood” and claimed Oshiomhole arrived late, causing the boarding denial. The airline further accused the senator of causing unrest at the terminal.

Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has since intervened, he reiterated that all sides must be heard impartially and fairly in line with the principles of natural justice. He underscored the importance of ensuring transparency in the investigative process and pledged that appropriate actions would be taken based on the findings.