By Admin
Ibom Air has imposed a lifetime travel ban on a female passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmanson, after she allegedly assaulted crew members and disrupted a Uyo–Lagos flight on Sunday.
The airline, in a statement on Monday, said the incident occurred shortly before take-off from the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, when Ms. Emmanson refused repeated instructions to switch off her mobile phone in line with aviation safety protocols.
According to the statement, it took an announcement from the Pilot-in-Command and the intervention of another passenger to turn off the device, a move that triggered a verbal outburst from Ms. Emmanson.
Ibom Air said the situation was contained and the flight departed as scheduled. However, on arrival in Lagos, the passenger allegedly waited for others to disembark before physically attacking the Purser who had earlier directed her to switch off her phone.
“She stepped on the Purser, tore off her wig, removed her glasses, threw them to the floor, and used her footwear to assault her. She slapped her several times and also attacked another cabin crew member who tried to intervene,” the airline stated.
Ms. Emmanson also allegedly attempted to remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, prompting the pilot to alert airport security. In a video of the incident now circulating online, the Purser was seen preventing her from leaving until security personnel arrived.
The statement added that the passenger attacked Ibom Air security staff upon their arrival, and continued the assault even after being removed from the aircraft, allegedly slapping the airline’s ground supervisor.
She was eventually handed over to Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) security and later transferred to the Nigeria Police Force for investigation.
Ibom Air described the conduct as “a serious threat to the safety of crew, passengers and aircraft,” and confirmed Ms. Emmanson would no longer be permitted on any of its flights.
The airline also commended its crew for “bravery and professionalism under extremely challenging circumstances” and reiterated its zero-tolerance policy toward unruly passengers.
“Safety remains our highest priority. We urge all passengers to comply with crew instructions at all times for the safety, security, and comfort of everyone on board,” the statement added.
