United Nigeria Airlines has apologised to public policy and governance expert, Joe Abah, following a six hour delay to his scheduled flight from Enugu to Abuja, admitting that its communication with affected passengers fell below expectations.
Abah was scheduled to depart Enugu for Abuja at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, but said the flight was eventually delayed until 3 p.m.
Following the disruption, Abah took to X, where he tagged the airline and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), demanding an explanation for the delay and clarification on compensation for affected passengers.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the information provided by the airline’s ground staff in Enugu and Abuja, saying they could not give him a satisfactory explanation. He also alleged that a customer service representative who promised to investigate the matter and call him back failed to do so.
Abah questioned the airline’s explanation that adverse weather conditions caused the disruption, noting that other carriers, including Enugu Air and Air Peace, reportedly operated flights from Enugu around the scheduled departure time.
He further stated that airline staff informed him that the aircraft had diverted to Anambra because of weather conditions but subsequently operated flights between Anambra and Abuja.
Responding on Wednesday, November 11, United Nigeria Airlines apologised for the inconvenience and explained that the aircraft assigned to operate the Enugu flight had commenced its operations in Lagos, where it was fourth in the departure queue due to runway congestion.
According to the airline, other aircraft departed ahead of it and arrived in Enugu before weather conditions deteriorated.
It explained that by the time its aircraft approached Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, the weather had worsened, making landing unsafe and necessitating diversion to Anambra in line with aviation safety procedures.
The airline maintained that weather conditions could vary across airports and flight routes, explaining that other airlines might have landed successfully while its aircraft could not.
Reaffirming its commitment to passenger safety, the airline said decisions on flight operations were guided by the judgement of flight crews, prevailing meteorological information and established safety procedures.
However, it acknowledged that although weather related disruptions might sometimes be beyond its control, providing passengers with timely and adequate information remained its responsibility.
On the refund request, United Nigeria Airlines said Abah did not need to wait for the usual seven working days for processing. It asked him to complete a refund request form on its official website, assuring him that the request would receive immediate processing once submitted.
The airline also expressed regret over Abah’s stated decision not to travel with it again, acknowledging that passenger confidence depended on consistent service delivery and accountability.
Abah, a public policy and governance expert, previously served as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms and is known for his advocacy on public sector accountability and service delivery.
The incident has renewed concerns over prolonged flight delays, passenger communication and refund procedures within Nigeria’s domestic aviation sector.
Written by Enitan Mudashiru
