Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema Vows to Prosecute Unruly Passengers from 2026

Air Peace, Nigeria's largest airline, is adopting a zero-tolerance policy for unruly passenger behavior starting January 2026.

Allen Onyema, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, stated the airline will no longer condone disruptive acts. He made the announcement during a recent interview, citing a need for stricter enforcement.

The New Zero-Tolerance Policy

Mr. Onyema expressed deep frustration over the conduct of some travelers. He noted that passengers often engage in acts on Nigerian aircraft that they would not attempt on international carriers like British Airways.

He cited a specific incident where passengers allegedly upgraded themselves to business class. They reportedly brought out bottles of rum and began threatening others on the flight.

Onyema believes that such unruly passenger behavior persists because offenders feel supported by the current system. The new January 2026 policy will shift the focus to legal action. "From January, we will have to start going to court," he stated.

This move signals a major change in how the airline handles passenger misconduct. The goal is to enforce flight safety and discipline more rigorously across the network.

Industry and Regulatory Backing

Air Peace is not alone in this stricter stance. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) is collectively adopting a similar Allen Onyema zero-tolerance position.

This unified front comes amid a worrying trend of disruptive incidents in the Nigerian air transport sector.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has also issued recent directives to airlines. The NCAA instructed pilots not to commence flights until unruly passengers are removed or the dispute is resolved.

Nigeria's legal framework, including the Civil Aviation Act 2022 and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2023, governs passenger conduct. These laws empower the pilot-in-command to take necessary measures to ensure safety.

Incidents of passenger misconduct in Nigerian aviation safety have included:

• Verbal and physical abuse of airline staff.
• Refusal to follow crew instructions.
• Disrupting airport and flight operations.

In one recent case, the NCAA expressed support for Air Peace blacklisting three passengers. This was after an incident on a London-Lagos flight led to the passengers being arraigned in court.

Global Context and Deterrence

Unruly passenger incidents are a growing global challenge for the industry. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported an increase in incidents worldwide.

IATA data shows one unruly incident was reported for every 480 flights in 2023. This is an increase from one per 568 flights in 2022. The most frequent issue is non-compliance with crew instructions.

Physical abuse incidents, while rare, saw an alarming 61% increase over 2021 data. The lack of prosecution often impairs deterrence, according to IATA.

Air Peace's decision to pursue passenger misconduct prosecution aligns with global calls. Aviation bodies urge states to ratify the Montreal Protocol 2014 (MP14). This protocol would close jurisdictional gaps and ensure offenders face legal consequences.

This aggressive new stance by Air Peace unruly passengers policy aims to protect crew and ensure a safe environment. It establishes a strong precedent for accountability in commercial aviation news.