The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned the management of Air Peace Limited over a surge of consumer complaints nationwide regarding non-refund of ticket fares.
In a statement released in Abuja on Monday, the Commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Ondaje Ijagwu, said Air Peace had failed to refund passengers in situations where it cancelled flight operations—a practice the FCCPC considers potentially in violation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
According to Ijagwu, “This provision enshrines the principle of fair dealing and safeguards consumers against unfair, unjust, or unreasonable practices by service-providers.”
He stated that the airline’s failure to process refunds may contravene Sections 130(1)(a) and (b), and 130(2)(b) of the FCCPA 2018, which guarantee consumers the right to timely refunds in cases where advance bookings, reservations, or orders are not fulfilled due to the service provider’s default.
In a formal summons dated June 13, 2025, FCCPC has ordered Air Peace to appear before the Commission at its headquarters in Abuja on June 23. The summons invokes Sections 32 and 33 of the FCCPA, which empower the Commission to conduct investigations and require mandatory compliance.
“Specifically, Section 33(3) of the FCCPA mandates compliance and failure attracts severe sanctions including fines or imprisonment,” Ijagwu added.
As part of the inquiry, the Commission directed Air Peace to provide comprehensive documentary evidence, including a complaint log of all refund-related issues over the past 12 months, records of processed refunds to date, a list of all cancelled flights on all routes within the same period, and any remedial measures taken to alleviate passenger hardship.
The FCCPC also revealed that in 2024, it had launched a separate investigation into allegations of exploitative ticket pricing by Air Peace, especially steep price hikes for advance bookings on certain domestic routes.
Ijagwu clarified that the current summons is distinct from the earlier inquiry.
“The airline in response to the earlier inquiry, instituted legal proceedings seeking to restrain the Commission from continuing its inquiry,” he noted.
As consumers await the outcome, the FCCPC maintains that it remains committed to protecting the rights of passengers and ensuring accountability within the aviation sector.
