The authority’s spokesperson, Michael Achimugu, disclosed this on Tuesday while responding to a social media post by a passenger, Bashir Usman, who recounted his experience aboard the flight on Monday, October 26, 2026.
Usman said passengers were kept inside the aircraft for about 50 minutes after boarding, despite the engines not running and the air conditioning system allegedly failing to function. He described the conditions inside the cabin as unbearable, adding that the heat eventually triggered bleeding.
According to his account, the passengers boarded at 12:07 p.m. but arrived in Calabar at 2:04 p.m., despite the flight having a scheduled duration of just 45 minutes.
“The heat became unbearable, and I eventually started bleeding,” Usman wrote, describing the incident as a distressing experience.
He explained that members of the cabin crew approached him and indicated that he would have to be disembarked because of the bleeding, ostensibly to prevent a possible medical emergency during the flight. However, he insisted that he was fine and did not require removal from the aircraft.
Usman also expressed gratitude to fellow passengers who intervened on his behalf, saying their support helped him cope with the difficult conditions.
“Some of you took turns fanning me, while one particularly kind lady gave me her personal mini hand fan. Your support meant so much to me,” he said.
He added that the passengers’ intervention eventually enabled him to remain on board until the aircraft departed.
“We eventually arrived in Calabar at 2:04 p.m. For a flight with a scheduled duration of just 45 minutes, the experience was particularly distressing, especially after the prolonged wait inside an aircraft without functioning air conditioning,” he stated.
In a separate message, Usman thanked those who travelled with him for their compassion and solidarity during the incident.
“To everyone who travelled with me on the Abuja–Calabar flight yesterday, 26 October, I want to express my deepest appreciation for your kindness, solidarity and humanity,” he wrote.
NCAA to determine circumstances surrounding incident
Reacting to the complaint, Achimugu said he had spoken with Usman over the telephone and expressed sympathy over the incident. He disclosed that the authority would forward the report to its Directorate of Operations, Licensing, and Training Standards (DOLTS) for investigation.
According to him, the directorate would examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged ventilation failure and determine whether the airline and its crew acted appropriately.
“Now that you have also told me the name of the airline, I am escalating this to the NCAA’s Directorate of Operations, Licensing, and Training Standards, DOLTS. This is their purview,” Achimugu wrote.
He said the authority would seek to establish why the aircraft’s doors were allegedly shut while the air conditioning and ventilation systems were not functioning, particularly amid the prevailing hot weather.
“We would like to know why the aircraft, in this season of extreme heat, had its door shut and no air conditioning/ventilation, according to your account of the incident,” he stated.
Achimugu added that the investigation would also consider Usman’s allegation that the crew did not offer an apology or explanation for the delay, either while passengers remained on board or after the aircraft arrived at its destination.
He stressed that a determination would be made by the relevant directorate after reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident.
NCAA defends crew’s safety responsibilities
Despite promising an investigation into the reported cabin conditions, the NCAA spokesperson cautioned passengers against obstructing cabin crew members from carrying out their safety responsibilities.
Achimugu said that while he sympathised with Usman over the experience, the crew might not have known that the passenger’s bleeding was triggered by heat, as he had explained in his account.
“Again, I empathise with you over the experience that led to your bleeding. I am glad that you are okay now. You have explained that heat triggers this situation for you, and it has been that way since you were a child. This is well understood,” he wrote.
However, he argued that the crew had a responsibility to assess the situation from a safety perspective, noting that the bleeding could have indicated a condition requiring urgent medical attention.
“From the cabin crew’s perspective, they were following due process and ensuring the safety of the passengers who thought they were heroes by stopping cabin crew from doing their job. You knew it was heat stroke. They did not know that,” Achimugu stated.
He maintained that the crew could not be expected to rely solely on the affected passenger’s assurance that he was fine, particularly when the cause and severity of the bleeding had not been independently established.
“You may have needed immediate medical attention, and the difference between life and death might have been the little time that the others spent preventing airline personnel from doing their job,” he added.
Achimugu also referenced the recent Ebola scare while explaining why airline personnel were expected to remain vigilant when dealing with passengers who exhibited potentially concerning symptoms.
He urged travellers to avoid allowing emotions to interfere with safety procedures, emphasising that cabin crew members were responsible for protecting everyone on board.
“Finally, passengers should understand that not everything should be approached with emotions. They cannot stop cabin crew from doing their job. That crew is there to ensure your safety, not antagonise you,” he said.
The NCAA spokesperson further noted that some captains might have refused to proceed with the flight until the affected passenger had been removed for proper medical assessment, given the captain’s responsibility for the safety of all passengers.
The authority’s investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported air conditioning failure, the prolonged wait inside the aircraft and the crew’s handling of the passenger’s medical condition.