Oshiomhole Accuses Air Peace Of Denying Boarded Passengers While Reselling Seats At Higher Prices

Senator representing Edo North and former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has narrated a troubling experience at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1, where he and several other passengers were allegedly denied boarding an Air Peace flight to Abuja despite completing online check-in. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday morning, sparked outrage after a video of Oshiomhole in a heated exchange with airport staff surfaced on social media.

According to Oshiomhole, he had booked the airline’s first flight of the day, scheduled for 6:30 a.m., and checked in online along with two Ghanaian associates. Arriving at the airport around 6:05 a.m., he was surprised to be told that the boarding gate had closed. Despite presenting evidence of his online check-in and having no luggage, he was denied boarding.

Oshiomhole said the situation was not isolated. He observed that several other passengers who had arrived before him and also checked in online were being denied access to the flight. Meanwhile, other travelers were being allowed to board after purchasing tickets on the spot at significantly higher prices. He alleged that Air Peace was reselling seats at inflated rates, between N200,000 and N300,000, to last-minute buyers while sidelining those who had pre-booked at lower rates.

One particularly disturbing case involved a woman with a six-month-old baby who had purchased a ticket for N146,000 and arrived at 5:55 a.m. She was told she was late and that the flight was full. The airline then offered to put her on the next flight, but only if she paid an additional N109,100, bringing the total cost of her trip to over N255,000. Oshiomhole confronted the airline manager, demanding to know why she was being punished despite arriving early and following proper procedures.

The commotion attracted the attention of security personnel from the DSS and the Air Force, who tried to mediate. However, only those who could afford additional payments were allowed onto later flights. Oshiomhole said he ultimately gave the distressed woman N500,000 to cover her new ticket and any other needs, as other stranded passengers gathered and shared similar complaints.

He emphasized that the chaos and unfair treatment were the result of systemic failure and regulatory negligence. Oshiomhole said that while the public often blames the government, the problem in this case stemmed from a private airline exploiting passengers. He criticized the lack of enforcement by aviation regulators and stressed that airlines must be held accountable for respecting passenger rights and standard operating procedures.

Despite being offered access to a private lounge, Oshiomhole said he refused, choosing instead to remain with the stranded passengers who pleaded with him not to leave. According to him, the scene at the airport was a reflection of the frustration and helplessness that everyday Nigerians face when systems fail and regulations are ignored.