By Dickson Omobola
Nigerian passenger, Abdullahi Salisu, has alleged that a dispute with Ethiopian Airlines over a ticket change and refund has left him stranded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, since June 29.
Salisu, who was scheduled to fly from Abuja to Cairo, Egypt, on June 29, said he had booked the ticket on June 17 but could not obtain the required visa/OK-to-Board clearance before his scheduled departure.
He said he visited the Ethiopian Airlines office at the airport on June 27 to request that his flight be rescheduled to July 1.
He told Vanguard that a staff member changed the date but did not initially inform him that he would be required to pay a fare difference and change fee.
He said he was later informed that he would have to pay more than N474,000 for the change, which he could not afford.
He lamented that although he involved the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, in the matter, the agency could not resolve the issue.
Speaking to Vanguard, Salisu said: “I have been stranded in the airport since June 29. I booked my ticket on June 17 to fly on June 29. On June 27, I walked into the Ethiopian Airlines office at the airport to inform them that they needed to reschedule my flight for July 1.
“So, one Ethiopian Airlines staff member changed it and he never told me that I had to pay any fare change. When he had already changed it, he told me that I had to pay. That’s N474,000 plus. I told them to change it to its actual date because I could not afford to change it.
“They then told me that my seat was already occupied. They told me not to bother and that I should just come on June 29 for me to board.
“I came as early as 8 to the airport. They had not even come to their office until 10 o’clock when they opened their counter. Then I told them that I had come for the trip. They then told me that there was no economy seat. I had to pay for a business seat.
“I told them, how could you tell me that? It’s you that told me that I should come on my actual day to fly. But why are you telling me that there’s no economy seat to give me unless I buy another business-class seat for N400,000, N700,000, N800,000 or something?
“But I checked their online app and I saw that there were many seats unoccupied in economy class.
“I was with them at the airport until the time of the departure of the plane. So, I reported to the NCAA counter at the departure hall. They told me that I could request a refund. So, I told them that I had even purchased refund protection with that ticket. One of the NCAA staff and I went into the office and explained.
“They (Ethiopian Airlines staff) told me that I could apply for a refund, but they couldn’t issue it by themselves. I had to do it online. On that same day, June 29, I sent them a request. But they told me that my ticket was non-refundable.
“I said, how could you say that my ticket was non-refundable when I purchased refund protection? Even their staff at the Abuja office told me that it was refundable. At last, they told me that what made their ticket non-refundable was that I bought it at the lowest fare.
“In order to catch them red-handed, I booked another ticket, the lowest one again. Then I told them to confirm whether it was refundable or non-refundable. They confirmed that it was refundable.
“Since that time, I have been sleeping at the airport departure area. And on Monday, they now dragged me out, saying that they had seen my bag on CCTV camera. I had gone to eat and returned when I found out that my bag was not there. I had to go and recover it at AVSEC. It is either they (Ethiopian Airlines) refund me or get me another air ticket without any fare charge. It is because I couldn’t return to Egypt before the date I was given by my boss that I lost my job there. I worked at Crispy Chicken Restaurant in Giza as a cleaner.”
Ethiopian Airlines react
Reacting to the allegations, Ethiopian Airlines told Vanguard that on “June 27, 2026, the passenger visited our airport office requesting a date change because he was unable to secure the required Visa/OK-to-Board for Cairo due to an issue involving his travel agent. To avoid a no-show, he requested that his travel date be changed from June 29 to July 1, 2026.
“Our team advised the passenger to wait, as there was still a possibility that the visa issue could be resolved before his original departure date. However, he insisted that this would not be possible and requested that the date change be processed immediately. Accordingly, the booking was changed as requested, and the applicable change fee and fare difference were communicated to him.
“The passenger disputed the charges, stating that he had been informed over the phone that no payment would be required. It was explained to him several times that the amount consisted of the applicable change fee and fare difference. Despite these explanations, he remained unwilling to pay and continued to request a free date change.
“The passenger later requested to be reinstated on his original travel date after it had already been changed at his request. Upon checking availability, it was found that the ADD–CAI sector was fully booked in Economy Class, with only Business Class seats available. He was informed that his original booking class was no longer available and that any alternative class would require payment of the applicable fare difference. He was also advised to come to the airport on the day of departure in case seats became available in his original booking class.
“On the day of departure, Economy Class remained fully booked. The passenger spoke with our staff and was again advised of the situation. He subsequently approached NCAA officials, alleging that he was willing to pay but that we had refused to assist him. The matter was explained to the NCAA representatives, who understood the situation and also clarified it to the passenger.
“Shortly before counter closure, we were able to secure availability in a lower booking class at a reduced additional cost and advised the passenger of the revised amount in the presence of the NCAA representative. However, the passenger again declined to make the payment. He later sought assistance from another NCAA official, to whom the same explanation was provided.
“After the flight departed, the passenger returned and acknowledged that he understood the situation and the explanations given.
“Regarding the Refund Protection purchased by the passenger, the policy applies only under specific circumstances (conditions attached). As this was a voluntary date change requested by the passenger, the Refund Protection is not applicable.”
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