An investigation by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has been launched into the prolonged flight delay experienced by passengers of Air France in Paris on Friday.
The delay, lasting over 14 hours, led to frustration among passengers, who accused the airline of disrespectful and discriminatory treatment.
Passengers bound for Nigeria, still stranded at the Paris airport at the time of this report, expressed their grievances in an online video obtained by NewsNow.
The video portrays scenes of discontent among passengers enduring the extended delay.
In response, Air France reportedly offered €15 vouchers to each passenger as compensation.
Many Nigerian passengers, who had traveled to Paris from Canada, the United States, and other parts of the world, were supposed to board a Lagos-bound Air France flight scheduled to depart from Charles De Gaulle Airport at 3 pm.
Some passengers mentioned they had flown from Canada to Paris as early as 8 am.
Confirming the commencement of the investigation, Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at NCAA, told NewsNow that they are looking into the matter.
He mentioned, “Such complaints prompt us to conduct investigations first, and based on our findings, appropriate actions will be taken.
“These actions are in line with NCAA regulations.”
Achimugu stressed the importance of hearing from both the complainants and the airline before drawing any conclusions.
“We need to engage with the complainants to fully understand the situation depicted in the video. Delays can occur, and not all complaints immediately indicate airline negligence until both sides are heard,” he added.
One passenger, identified as Capt Noggie Meggison, a pilot and Managing Director of Nigerian charter airline-Jed Air, shared his account in the video, alleging that he was threatened by Air France staff for recording the scene.
He stated, “I’m on an Air France flight to Lagos, and we’ve been delayed for hours. I arrived from Canada and landed at 8 am on Friday.
“As compensation for the delay, we were only given €15 vouchers, despite over 200 Nigerians stranded without proper respect and compensation from Air France.
“This is unacceptable for a delay exceeding 14 hours. The initial departure time was 3 pm, and now it’s rescheduled to 10 pm.
“No accommodation provided, just a €15 voucher. This treatment is discriminatory and unacceptable. Such treatment would not be tolerated on an American flight. Passengers are left sitting without progress.”
Another passenger, Adesina, expressed frustration at being subjected to multiple gate changes and a prolonged wait without adequate compensation.
“I flew in from Vancouver, Canada, this morning. I landed around 8 am, only to receive an email at noon about the flight delay.
“Prior to that, the boarding gate was changed, requiring us to relocate and pass through security again. Ultimately, our departure time was shifted from 3 pm to 10 pm.
“That’s over 14 hours of waiting. Upon filing a complaint, we were given €15 vouchers. It’s unbelievable. With that, I could only purchase a bottle of water and a piece of bread,” Adesina recounted.
Amid discontent, some of the affected Nigerians have threatened to pursue a class action lawsuit against Air France for what they described as inhumane treatment.
Passengers in Paris voicing their dissatisfaction highlighted their frustration over the situation.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach Air France for clarification on the abrupt schedule changes to Lagos from Paris were unsuccessful.
Under European Union regulations, passengers facing flight delays may be eligible for financial compensation.
The compensation amount ranges from €250 to €600 per passenger based on flight distance, among other factors.
Passengers are also entitled to complimentary refreshments and beverages depending on the duration of the wait.
As per European Regulations No 261/2004, compensation for flight delays is determined by the flight distance.
Passengers on flights delayed by three or more hours are entitled to full compensation.
For short-distance flights up to 1,500km, passengers are entitled to €250 compensation.
For medium-haul flights within the EU exceeding 1,500km and all other flights between 1,500 and 3,500km, passengers are eligible for €400 compensation, while long-haul flights surpassing 3,000km are entitled to €600.