The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned the management of Air Peace Limited following numerous consumer complaints regarding the non-refund of ticket fares for cancelled flights.
The Commission has also directed the airline to submit relevant documentation, including a complaint log covering the past 12 months, detailing refund requests for cancelled flights. Additionally, Air Peace is required to provide:
A comprehensive record of all processed refunds to date
A list of cancelled flights on all routes within the last year
Any remedial actions implemented to ease the hardship experienced by affected passengers
According to the FCCPC, these requests are in line with Section 33(3) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018, which mandates compliance. Failure to comply may result in serious penalties, including fines or imprisonment.
In a statement released by Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs, the FCCPC reiterated that the invitation stems from a large number of complaints from consumers across the country. These reports allege that Air Peace failed to issue refunds even when flights were cancelled by the airline itself.
Such conduct, the Commission stated, may violate Sections 130(1)(a), 130(1)(b), and 130(2)(b) of the FCCPA 2018, which guarantee consumers the right to prompt refunds when bookings or services are not fulfilled due to the service provider’s fault.
“These provisions uphold principles of fair dealing and protect consumers from unfair, unjust, or unreasonable business practices,” the statement emphasized.
In a formal summons dated June 13, 2025, the FCCPC invoked Sections 32 and 33 of the FCCPA and directed Air Peace to appear at the Commission’s Abuja Headquarters on Monday, June 23, 2025.
This case is separate from an earlier investigation launched in December 2024, concerning allegations of exploitative pricing, including sharp increases in fares for advance bookings on specific domestic routes. In response to that inquiry, Air Peace filed a legal case to prevent the Commission from continuing the investigation.
The FCCPC clarified that the current issue is distinct and reiterated its commitment to upholding the FCCPA, ensuring that service providers are held accountable, and that consumer rights—particularly in the aviation sector—are fully protected from exploitative and unfair practices.
