8 Things You Must Never Do at Airports – Airlines

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has issued a fresh warning to travellers, outlining behaviours that will no longer be tolerated at Nigerian airports or onboard flights. 

The reminder came alongside the announcement that the lifetime travel ban placed on Ibom Air passenger Comfort Emmanson has been lifted.

Ban Lifted after government intervention

Comfort Emmanson was barred from flying with any AON member airline after an altercation with crew members on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos on August 10, 2025. 

The sanction sparked public debate, drawing the attention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who stepped in to mediate.

According to AON spokesperson Obiora Okonkwo, the ban was reversed following Emmanson’s show of remorse, the withdrawal of complaints against her, and the government’s decision to close the matter. 

As part of the resolution, AON also announced plans to retrain aviation security and airline crew on handling unruly passengers.

Airlines list unacceptable passenger behaviours

In the same statement, the AON outlined eight passenger actions it considers unruly, all of which could lead to legal consequences, including fines or imprisonment. They are:

Assaulting, intimidating, or threatening flight or cabin crew

Using mobile phones or gadgets when instructed not to

Smoking in restricted areas or onboard

Fighting or causing disorder at the terminal or in-flight

Being a nuisance to other passengers

Disobeying lawful instructions from crew, check-in staff, or security

Endangering flight safety through reckless actions

Tampering with smoke detectors or aircraft equipment

AON stressed that pilots and aviation security officers have the authority to restrain or remove disruptive passengers and hand them over to law enforcement.

Public sensitisation to begin

The association has urged aviation agencies to launch public campaigns on the dangers and consequences of unruly conduct, citing the Civil Aviation Act of 2022 and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations of 2023, which classify such acts as serious offences.

While the Emmanson incident has been resolved, AON maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards behaviour that could threaten safety or disrupt operations, warning that offenders will face both legal and travel-related penalties.

Source: BusinessElitesAfrica | Read Full Story…