Ibom Airlines Limited has permanently barred a passenger, identified as Comfort Emmanson, from boarding any of its flights after she physically assaulted members of the cabin crew during and after a Uyo-to-Lagos trip on Sunday.
The altercation, captured in a viral video, showed Emmanson slapping the aircraft’s Purser repeatedly after refusing to comply with aviation safety instructions to turn off her mobile phone before take-off.
In a statement issued on Monday, Ibom Air confirmed the sequence of events, stating:
“Shortly before take-off from Uyo, Ms. Emmanson was instructed in line with standard aviation safety procedures to switch off her mobile phone. She bluntly refused to comply until the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement, after which a fellow passenger seated beside her took the phone and switched it off.
“This action prompted a verbal tirade from Ms. Emmanson. The situation was eventually calmed, and the flight departed as scheduled.”
Upon arrival in Lagos, the passenger allegedly waited for others to disembark before confronting the Purser who issued the initial instruction. The airline revealed she “stepped on her, forcibly tore off her wig, removed her glasses and threw it to the floor, and used her footwear to assault her. She slapped her several times, and when the other cabin crew member tried to intervene, she slapped her too.”
Ibom Air further stated that Emmanson attempted to seize a fire extinguisher, an act the airline said could have caused damage to the aircraft. The Pilot-in-Command had already alerted airport security by then.
Before security officers could reach the aircraft, the Purser restrained the passenger from leaving. Even when Ibom Air’s security personnel arrived, she allegedly attacked them, slapped the ground supervisor, and continued to act violently until she was forcefully removed from the ramp and handed over to the Nigerian Police by Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) security staff.
The airline confirmed it has reported the incident to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and reiterated that Ms. Emmanson is permanently banned from flying on any of its aircraft.
“We commend the bravery and professionalism of our crew in handling this situation under extremely challenging circumstances, as well as the swift support from airport security and the Nigerian Police,” Ibom Air added.
okay.ng reports that the incident has drawn widespread condemnation from aviation stakeholders, who stress the importance of passenger compliance with safety protocols.
