Air Peace Limited has firmly rebutted a recent report alleging the airline sold tickets to Jamaica only to “dump” passengers in Barbados, calling the story misleading and factually inaccurate.
The Nigerian carrier explained that the issue stemmed from pre-departure checks at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. Some passengers, the airline said, lacked required transit visas for routing via Antigua to destinations like Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. In line with aviation regulations, Air Peace offered full refunds, which some accepted.
Others, aware that Nigerian passport holders don’t need transit visas through Barbados, voluntarily requested rerouting there. “No passenger was forced, coerced, or compelled,” the airline stated in its press release. Of the group, 42 passengers were rerouted accordingly, the airline explained.
An operational delay caused them to miss onward connections, and the connecting airline refused to honor their tickets, leaving some stranded. Barbados immigration then denied entry to 25 passengers due to concerns like declined hotel bookings via credit cards and suspicious return dates of December 31, 2025, far beyond their planned stays, with no clear return travel plans. Meanwhile, 67 others were cleared to proceed, the airline also explained.
Air Peace emphasized its good-faith actions, including refunds, rerouting assistance, and support for safe returns. “We did not abandon or deliberately inconvenience any passenger,” the airline affirmed, urging media to verify facts before publishing.
The carrier reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and customer care, inviting inquiries to corporate.communications@flyairpeace.com.
Below is full text of the press statement to the effect by the airline
“Air Peace Limited strongly refutes the allegations contained in a recent publication claiming that the airline sold tickets to Jamaica and subsequently “dumped” passengers in Barbados. The report is misleading, inaccurate, and does not reflect the actual facts surrounding the incident.
“Air Peace confirms that all tickets were sold strictly in accordance with international airline sales practices and applicable aviation regulations. At no point did the airline engage in deceptive sales or intentionally mislead any passenger regarding their travel arrangements.
“During standard pre-departure profiling and documentation checks at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria, it was discovered that some passengers did not possess the required transit visas to travel via Antigua to their final destinations, including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago. In compliance with regulatory requirements, Air Peace immediately offered the affected passengers a full refund of their tickets.
“While some passengers accepted the refund option, others voluntarily requested to be rerouted through Barbados to their final destination, noting that Nigerian passport holders do not require transit visas to travel through Barbados to Jamaica and beyond. Based solely on this voluntary request, Air Peace facilitated the rerouting. In total, 42 passengers freely and expressly have their tickets rerouted through Barbados to their final destinations. No passenger was forced, coerced, or compelled to travel to Barbados.
“Due to an unforeseen operational delay, the passengers arrived in Barbados later than scheduled and consequently missed their onward connections. Unfortunately, the onward tickets originally purchased were not honoured by the airline with whom they intended to travel with. This refusal by the airline to airlift the passengers left them stranded in Barbados.
“Also, some of the passengers who tried to book hotel reservations via credit cards had their transaction declined, hence no evidence of confirmed hotel accommodation during their stay. Another concern from the Barbados immigration was passengers with a return date of December 31st, 2025, indicated that they would be returning back to Nigeria months later with no alternative means of travel. This is obviously unacceptable. The Barbados immigration authorities exercised their sovereign mandate to assess each passenger individually and on a case-by-case basis. This is beyond Air Peace's obligation.
“It is important to note that 67 other passengers from the same passenger group were granted entry and allowed to continue their journeys through Barbados, while 25 passengers were denied entry because of the above stated concerns raised by the Barbados immigration authorities.
“Air Peace reiterates that it did not abandon, dump, or deliberately inconvenience any passenger. The airline acted responsibly, transparently, and in good faith at all times by offering refunds, facilitating voluntary rerouting upon passenger request, providing on-ground assistance, and ensuring the safe return of affected passengers.
“Air Peace remains committed to the highest standards of professionalism, regulatory compliance, and customer care. The airline urges responsible journalism and encourages media organisations to verify facts with relevant stakeholders before publishing reports that may misinform the public.
“For further media enquiries, contact the Corporate Communications department at corporate.communications@flyairpeace.com”
SIGNED
MANAGEMENT
0 comments:
Post a Comment