Ebea
It is no longer about “operational reasons” or “aircraft on ground.” It is about respect.
That was the blunt message from the Edo State Commissioner for Public Security and Safety, Hon. Festus Odianose Ebea, who on Saturday told airline operators in Nigeria that passengers are tired, stressed, and financially drained – and they deserve better.
Speaking at the Aviation Hub Limited Explore Cabin Crew Fair 2026 in Lagos, Ebea, who represented the tough-talking voice of the travelling public, said the era where airlines hide behind maintenance and scheduling excuses to justify endless delays must end.
He did not mince words. According to him, a delayed or cancelled flight is not just a time issue. It is emotional trauma. It is a business deal lost. It is school resumption missed. It is a family reunion scattered. It is extra hotel bills, missed connections, and anxiety that no apology can fix.
“Persistent flight delays and poor management practices must be met with accountability rather than frustration,” Ebea said.
He noted that passengers across the country now live in fear of the departure board. What should be a one-hour hop from Lagos to Abuja has become a day-long gamble.
But while he sided with passengers, he also warned them: Do not destroy.
Ebea urged travellers to remain calm even when provoked, saying retaliatory actions, vandalism and assault on airline staff only compound the problem. Instead, he called for structured, constructive engagement – channel your grievances properly, demand your rights, but don’t break the law in the process.
His charge to airlines was clear: Fix your communication. Honour your commitments. Respect your customers.
He pointed out that many delays are worsened not by the delay itself, but by the silence, the lies, and the lack of transparency from management. Passengers can handle truth, he said, but they cannot handle being kept in the dark for five hours.
The fair, which gathered cabin crew professionals, aviation stakeholders and regulators, became a platform for Ebea to push for systemic reform – from better scheduling integrity to renewed dedication from management teams to ensure reliability across all routes.
For him, aviation is not just about aircraft. It is about trust.
And in an industry where trust is already fragile, he said, every delayed flight without explanation chips away at the little confidence left.
The message from Lagos is simple: Airlines must reform, or passengers will revolt – not with violence, but with their voices and their wallets.
