Volte-Face: Airline operators lift flight ban on Emmanson

Airline operators under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have formally lifted the no-flight ban on Ms. Comfort Emmanson.

The operators in the statement said the lifting of the ban was necessitated by the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who issued a directive to the carriers to lift the ban on the alleged unruly passenger.

A statement by the spokesman of AON, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo said having considered all the circumstances of the matter, including the exhibition of remorse for her behavior, as reported, the withdrawal of the complaint and consequent striking out of the charges, and release of  Emmanson from custody, the statement of Government that it takes aviation safety and security very seriously and decision to draw a line after these clemencies, and the proposed retreat to retrain AVSEC personnel and airline crew on the handling of unruly and disruptive passengers, formed the reason for rescinding the ban.

The action of some operators to bar her from flying had elicited outrage across the country, with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), pilots, and stakeholders describing the action as illegal, and questioning where the airline body derived its powers to bar an individual from flying indefinitely.

Okonkwo noted that the airlines believed that incidents of unruly and disruptive behaviour at airport terminals and onboard aircraft would greatly reduce if passengers are aware that such behaviour poses a danger to flight safety and is an offence under the law, punishable with a fine or imprisonment or both.

The AON listed what constitute unruly behavior in aviation to include assault, intimidation, or threatening any flight or cabin crew member; using a mobile phone and/or other communication/electronic gadget on board aircraft against the instruction of the pilot-in-command or flight crew or cabin crew; smoking on board aircraft or in a non-smoking area of the terminal building.

Others are fighting or other disorderly conduct on board an aircraft or at the terminal building;  any conduct constituting a nuisance to other passengers; f) Disobedience of lawful instruction issued by the pilot-in-command, flight crew, cabin crew, check-in-staff and/or security screening staff; any conduct that endangers the safety of flight operations.

Wole Shadare