A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered Virgin Atlantic Airways to pay a total of N13.08 million in damages and legal costs to a passenger who was prevented from boarding a scheduled flight from Lagos to London, a development that disrupted her onward journey to Canada and resulted in financial losses.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala, who held that the airline was responsible for the hardship and inconvenience suffered by Mrs Joy Nneka Ezetah after she was denied boarding at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on April 6, 2024.
According to court records, Ezetah had purchased a business-class ticket through Air Canada for a multi-leg international trip between Lagos and Toronto. However, upon arriving at the airport for the Lagos-London leg operated by Virgin Atlantic, she was allegedly prevented from boarding despite possessing a valid ticket and travel documents.
The claimant subsequently approached the court, seeking compensation for negligence and the losses she incurred after missing her scheduled connections. She argued that the airline's actions caused significant disruption to her travel plans and led to avoidable expenses and distress.
In its defence, Virgin Atlantic maintained that a reservation-system error prevented the issuance of a boarding pass for the connecting flight. The airline argued that it acted professionally by advising the passenger to contact the ticket issuer to resolve the issue. It also contended that her inability to complete online check-in before arriving at the airport suggested there had been an existing problem with the booking.
After reviewing evidence presented by both parties, Justice Kala ruled in favour of the claimant, finding that she had successfully established her case against the airline. The court awarded damages amounting to $5,906.50 and directed that the sum be converted to naira using the prevailing Central Bank of Nigeria exchange rate of N1,365.50 to one US dollar, bringing the award to approximately N8.08 million.
The court further ordered that the judgment sum should attract an annual interest rate of 10 per cent until full payment is made.
In addition to the damages, Justice Kala awarded N5 million in legal costs against Virgin Atlantic, noting that the claimant was compelled to seek judicial intervention in order to enforce her rights.
The combined award and legal costs amount to approximately N13.08 million.
The ruling adds to growing scrutiny of airline passenger rights and reinforces the responsibility of carriers to ensure that travellers are not unfairly denied access to flights for which they possess valid bookings. Recent court decisions in Nigeria have increasingly emphasised consumer protection within the aviation sector, particularly where passengers suffer financial losses as a result of airline actions.
0 Comments