On Friday, August 15, 2025, British Airways denied boarding to 58 passengers scheduled to fly from Abuja to London due to a technical issue involving a faulty aircraft door.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, confirmed the incident via a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account. He explained that, for safety reasons, the airline had to leave several seats near the affected door unoccupied.
British Airways discovered that some seats on the aircraft were unusable due to a faulty door. As a result, 58 passengers were denied boarding, Achimugu wrote.
He added that 30 passengers accepted hotel accommodation offered by the airline, while 28 chose to return home. Efforts are being made to rebook all affected travelers for a flight the following morning.
Achimugu also encouraged passengers facing similar disruptions to seek immediate help from NCAA Consumer Protection Officers at the terminal to ensure their rights are protected. Affected passengers can file for compensation, he noted.
