BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Air Peace Limited has vehemently denied allegations that it sold tickets to Jamaica and later abandoned passengers in Barbados, describing the claims as false, misleading and a distortion of the facts surrounding the incident.
In a statement issued on Monday, the airline said the publication alleging that passengers were “dumped” in Barbados failed to reflect what actually transpired and ignored critical regulatory and operational details.b
“Air Peace Limited strongly refutes the allegations contained in a recent publication claiming that the airline sold tickets to Jamaica and subsequently ‘dumped’ passengers in Barbados,” the airline said, stressing that “the report is misleading, inaccurate, and does not reflect the actual facts surrounding the incident
According to the airline, all tickets were sold strictly in line with international airline sales practices and applicable aviation regulations, adding that no passenger was deceived or misled at any point.
“At no time did the airline engage in deceptive sales or intentionally mislead any passenger regarding their travel arrangements,” the statement said.
Air Peace explained that during routine pre-departure profiling and documentation checks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, it was discovered that some passengers lacked the required transit visas to travel through Antigua to their final destinations, including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago.
In line with aviation regulations, the airline said it immediately offered the affected passengers a full refund of their tickets. While some passengers accepted the refund, others chose a different option.
“Others voluntarily requested to be rerouted through Barbados to their final destination, noting that Nigerian passport holders do not require transit visas to travel through Barbados to Jamaica and beyond,” Air Peace said.
The airline stressed that the decision to travel via Barbados was entirely voluntary, adding that “no passenger was forced, coerced, or compelled to travel to Barbados.”
In total, 42 passengers requested and consented to the rerouting.
However, an unforeseen operational delay resulted in the passengers arriving in Barbados later than scheduled, causing them to miss their onward connections.
Air Peace said the airline with whom the passengers intended to continue their journey declined to honour the onward tickets, leaving the affected passengers stranded.
Compounding the situation, some passengers were unable to secure hotel accommodation after their credit card transactions were declined.
Barbados immigration authorities also raised concerns about some passengers whose return tickets showed December 31, 2025, despite indications that they intended to return to Nigeria months later without proof of alternative travel plans.
“This is obviously unacceptable,” Air Peace said, noting that the Barbados immigration authorities exercised their sovereign right to assess passengers individually, a process that falls outside the airline’s control.
The airline disclosed that out of the group, 67 passengers were granted entry into Barbados and allowed to continue their journeys, while 25 were denied entry based on the concerns raised by immigration officials.
Air Peace maintained that it acted responsibly throughout the process.
“The airline did not abandon, dump, or deliberately inconvenience any passenger,” it said, adding that it offered refunds, facilitated voluntary rerouting, provided on-ground assistance and ensured the safe return of affected passengers.
Reaffirming its commitment to professionalism and customer care, Air Peace urged the media to uphold responsible journalism.
“We encourage media organisations to verify facts with relevant stakeholders before publishing reports that may misinform the public,” the airline said.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
