NEED TO KNOW
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A passenger got into a physical dispute over turning off her cellphone, an airline claims, leading her to be dragged of the plane by authorities
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Ibom Air issued a statement about the incident, alleging that Ms. Comfort Emmanson “posed a serious threat to the safety” of its crew, passengers and aircraft
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The airline also said the woman has been banned from flying with the company, citing its “zero-tolerance policy”
A passenger was dragged off a plane in Nigeria after allegedly refusing to switch off her cellphone.
The incident occurred on Sunday, Aug. 10 on an Ibom Air aircraft that was traveling from the Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the airline confirmed in a statement shared on Facebook.
The airline identified the passenger as Ms. Comfort Emmanson, claiming that her “conduct posed a serious threat to the safety” of crew, passengers and the aircraft.
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The airline explained that she had reportedly been “instructed in line with standard aviation safety procedures, to switch off” her cellphone, adding that the pilot-in-command also made an announcement.
Another passenger sitting next to Emmanson then allegedly took her phone and switched it off, prompting “a verbal tirade” from her, the airline said, adding that “the situation was eventually calmed, and the flight departed as scheduled.”
After the plane arrived in Lagos, Emmanson reportedly “waited for all other passengers to disembark and then proceeded to confront” the crew member who had instructed her to turn off her phone, alleging that she tore off the flight attendant’s wig, removed her glasses and “slapped her several times.”
The moment was captured on camera, per a video shared by the Associated Press, with the clip showing the passenger being dragged down the aircraft’s steps.
Ibom Air alleged in the statement that Emmanson had also “attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, an act that could have damaged and grounded the aircraft.”
The pilot-in-command ended up alerting security, and the passenger was “restrained and removed from the aircraft by force,” the airline continued adding that Emmanson was then taken into custody by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) security before being handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.
Emmanson will no longer be permitted to fly with the airline, the airline noted in its statement, adding that the company has a “zero-tolerance policy towards any form of unruly or violent conduct that threatens the safety of passengers, crew or equipment.”
“Safety remains our highest priority. We urge all passengers to comply with crew instructions at all times for the safety, security and comfort of everyone on board,” the airline concluded.
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According to the AP, Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), addressed the incident by saying, “When cabin crew ask you to turn off your phone before takeoff or landing, simply comply.” He added, “I can’t understand why simple routine issues would lead to incidents like this. Passengers need to understand they have responsibilities, not just rights.”
However, in a statement posted to X, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned the airline’s actions, demanding that “Ibom Air immediately withdraw the lifetime ban, issue a public apology to Ms. Emmanson, and cooperate fully with an impartial investigation into this incident.”
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Ibom Air, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s Achimugu and the Nigerian Bar Association didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
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