NCAA Cites Visa Technicality in EgyptAir Boarding Dispute, Urges Passenger to Come Forward

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has addressed a circulating video in which a Nigerian passenger, identified as Ms. Dara, accused EgyptAir of discrimination after being denied boarding, stating that preliminary findings point to a visa-related complication rather than prejudicial treatment.

In a series of posts on his X account Sunday, NCAA spokesperson Mike Achimugu clarified that contrary to initial information, the incident occurred two days prior and not last year as earlier believed. Achimugu explained that the timing of the video contributed to initial confusion, as no contemporaneous dispute had been logged at the airport.

According to Achimugu, EgyptAir informed the NCAA that the passenger presented a return ticket issued by United Airlines, which ordinarily would satisfy boarding requirements. However, the airline determined that she lacked either a valid United States visa or the necessary transit visa for her intended routing through Barcelona and Washington D.C. to Lagos. The carrier maintained that without proper US transit documentation, boarding her would have risked leaving her stranded at Washington Dulles International Airport with no legal basis to continue her journey.

Achimugu relayed the airline’s account that the passenger subsequently requested to speak with the station manager, and that the ensuing conversation was conducted calmly and professionally. “The manager claims to have explained to her that it is better she is not boarded from Nigeria than to be stuck in Barcelona. According to the manager, there was no rancour, and the passenger did not express any anger,” Achimugu stated. The airline expressed surprise at the subsequent video, given the cordial nature of the exchange.

Further inquiries by the NCAA sought to determine whether the return ticket was operated by Lufthansa under a codeshare arrangement rather than United Airlines. Achimugu noted that United Airlines confirmed the outcome would depend on whether the booking routed through Frankfurt, which would have bypassed United States airspace entirely.

Achimugu emphasised that the matter could be resolved swiftly if Ms. Dara provides a copy of her ticket for verification. He reiterated the NCAA’s commitment to pursuing the case in her favour should the airline’s account prove inaccurate. “If you know her, kindly have her respond to my message, and we can protect her rights if she proves the airline’s perspective to be incorrect,” he said.