Passengers Decry ‘Discriminatory’ Treatment As EgyptAir Delays Abuja, Kano Flights

Passengers travelling to Abuja and Kano aboard EgyptAir on Sunday were left stranded for several hours following prolonged delays to the airline’s scheduled flights, prompting complaints of neglect and alleged discriminatory treatment.

The Abuja-bound EgyptAir flight MS879, which was scheduled to depart for Kano at 10:00am, was first shifted to 12:00 noon, later postponed to 3:36pm and eventually rescheduled for 5:30pm, leaving passengers uncertain about when the flight would depart.

Several affected passengers told THE WHISTLER that EgyptAir officials offered little or no explanation for the delays and failed to provide basic welfare support such as refreshments or accommodation.

“We were simply abandoned at the airport,” one of the passengers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. “Each time a new departure time was announced, there was no explanation and no assurance that the flight would actually take off.”

Some passengers further alleged that holders of business class tickets were downgraded to economy class without prior notice or consent, a situation that reportedly heightened tensions at the terminal.

“I paid the full business class fare only to be told minutes before boarding that my seat was no longer available,” another passenger said. “No reason, no apology.”

A similar scenario was said to have occurred on EgyptAir’s Kano-bound flight, where passengers reportedly experienced delays and uncertainty, with airline staff unable to give definitive information.

Passengers’ frustration reportedly peaked when they enquired about compensation, as some airline staff allegedly told them that only European passengers delayed for more than five hours were entitled to benefits, including compensation of up to $600.

“We were shocked when they said the compensation rules applied to Europeans, not Nigerians,” a passenger said. “That is discrimination.”

The incident drew further attention due to the presence of a former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, who was listed among passengers on the Abuja-bound flight. Although the former lawmaker did not comment as of press time, passengers said his presence highlighted the gravity of the situation.

The incident has revived concerns over complaints by Nigerian travellers against foreign airlines, including recent allegations involving Saudi carriers.

Passengers called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Federal Ministry of Aviation to intervene, insisting that Nigerians deserve equal dignity, protection and compensation accorded to passengers globally.