FCCPC Summons Air Peace Over Surge in Unrefunded Flight Tickets

By Oluwakemi Kindness

Nigeria’s apex consumer protection body, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), has summoned the management of Air Peace Limited following a rising tide of complaints over unrefunded ticket fares, even in cases where flights were cancelled by the airline.

The Commission said the complaints, which have come from passengers nationwide, point to potential violations of Sections 130(1)(a), (b), and 130(2)(b) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.

These sections uphold the consumer’s right to a prompt refund if a service provider fails to honour a booking or reservation.

“These provisions safeguard consumers against unjust and unreasonable practices and enshrine the principle of fair dealing,” said Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs at the FCCPC.

In a formal notice dated June 13, 2025, the Commission directed Air Peace to appear before its panel at the FCCPC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, June 23, 2025.

Citing Sections 32 and 33 of the FCCPA, the Commission said Air Peace is legally obligated to comply, saying Failure to do so, it warned, may result in sanctions ranging from fines to imprisonment.

The airline is also required to submit the following documents:

• Complaint logs of all refund requests over the past 12 months
• A complete record of all processed refunds to date
• A list of cancelled flights on all domestic and international routes within the last year
• Evidence of remedial actions taken to reduce customer hardship due to cancellations

Previous Price Gouging Allegations

This is not the first time Air Peace has drawn regulatory scrutiny. In December 2024, the FCCPC began a separate investigation into allegations of exploitative ticket pricing, particularly sharp fare increases for advance bookings on selected domestic routes.

In response to that probe, the airline filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the Commission from proceeding. However, the FCCPC has clarified that the latest summons over refunds is a distinct issue, and legal challenges in the earlier case do not affect the current investigation.

FCCPC Reiterates Commitment to Consumer Protection

The Commission reaffirmed its resolve to ensure fair treatment for Nigerian consumers and to hold all service providers—especially in the aviation sector—accountable for any breaches of consumer rights.

“The FCCPC remains unwavering in its duty to enforce the law, protect consumers, and ensure that operators—whether large or small—respect the rights of those they serve,” the statement read.

As of the time of this report, Air Peace has yet to release an official response to the Commission’s summons.