A passenger, Mrs. Chinwe Mbanugo, has instituted a suit against Air Peace Airline before the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over the alleged unjustified cancellation of her flight, demanding ₦89,611,624.00 as damages.
Mrs. Mbanugo, who was travelling from Lagos to South Africa on a one-month visa, approached the court through her solicitors, Stephen E. Amallagoge & Co., contending that the airline’s action in cancelling her flight was neither justified nor satisfactorily explained.
According to her claims, the dispute arose after she made repeated demands for a refund of her return ticket to Lagos following the cancellation. She alleged that Air Peace not only failed to refund the ticket or re-route her on any available flight but also denied liability for the cancellation.
As the disagreement persisted, Mrs. Mbanugo’s one-month visa reportedly expired, compelling her to apply for a three-month visa extension in order to remain legally in South Africa while pursuing her refund. She claimed that the situation exposed her to significant and unexpected expenses, including the extension of her hotel accommodation, feeding, medical bills, and other sundry costs.
The matter, however, took a dramatic twist following the intervention of her solicitors, Stephen Amallagoge & Co. Mrs. Mbanugo alleged that it was only after this intervention that Air Peace arranged an alternative flight for her through Kenya Airways, despite earlier denying responsibility for the cancelled flight.