FCCPC Summons Air Peace Over Unrefunded Ticket Fares

FCCPC Summons Air Peace Over Unrefunded Ticket Fares

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned the management of Air Peace Limited following a wave of complaints from passengers across Nigeria over non-refunded ticket fares many tied to cancelled flights by the airline.

The development became known through an official press statement issued by the Commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Ondaje Ijagwu, on Monday, June 16, 2025.

According to the statement, the Commission’s action follows numerous grievances lodged by consumers alleging that despite cancellations initiated by the airline, refunds have not been processed, in contravention of established consumer rights under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), 2018.

“These actions potentially contravene Sections 130(1)(a) and (b), and 130(2)(b) of the FCCPA,” the statement read. The sections explicitly guarantee a consumer’s right to timely refunds when services paid for in advance—such as flight bookings—are not rendered due to the service provider’s failure.

In a formal summons dated June 13, 2025, FCCPC directed Air Peace to appear before the Commission on Monday, June 23, 2025, at its headquarters in Abuja. The airline is also expected to provide a comprehensive report covering:

Refund related complaints received in the past 12 months, All refunds processed to date, A list of cancelled flights across all routes within the same period, Measures taken to mitigate the impact on affected passengers.

Citing Section 33(3) of the FCCPA, the Commission warned that non-compliance could result in stiff penalties, including fines and imprisonment.

This is not the first time the Commission has engaged the airline over alleged consumer rights violations. In December 2024, FCCPC launched an inquiry into accusations of exploitative pricing and arbitrary fare hikes on domestic routes. That investigation was stalled after Air Peace filed a legal suit to stop the probe.

However, the Commission clarified that the current summons is unrelated to the earlier pricing inquiry and is focused strictly on refund complaints.

“The FCCPC remains committed to ensuring that consumers are treated fairly and that no service provider operates above the law,” the statement concluded.