Airport Operator Warns Air Travellers Against Violence, Takes Legal Action Against Offenders
- Physical violence and abuse against airport staff would not be condoned, Bi-Courtney has warned
- The airport operator decried several incidents of frustrated passengers venting their anger on airport staff
- It also listed out its next line of action against offending passengers who have assaulted staff on duty
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In response to several incidents of physical and verbal abuse of airport staff, the operators of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two, Lagos state, have issued a stern warning to air travellers.
Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), the operator in charge of the Lagos airport, raised concerns about recurring cases of violence in its terminal, especially from passengers against staff.
BASL noted that it has zero tolerance for violence or abuse of staff who are only performing their duties, and would take action on any such occurrence henceforth.
Source: Depositphotos
The warning was contained in a statement signed by the BASL's head of corporate communications, Ajoke Yinka-Olawuyi.
Passenger assaults Lagos airport staff
The operator referred to a recent incident on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at about 13:18hrs when an altercation arose at the check-in counter due to delays caused by a system error.
Efforts to amicably resolve the issue led to a male passenger physically assaulting an aviation security officer on duty.
The statement noted that there had been similar occurrences in the past, including in December 2024, when another staff member on duty was assaulted, the PUNCH reports.
Yinka-Olawuyi said in the statement that the offending passengers have been arrested and handed over to the police for further investigations and necessary legal action.
She said in the statement:
“BASL will continue to follow up on the case to ensure justice is served. We are deeply concerned by the recurrence of such attacks on our personnel and will not hesitate to take decisive action to protect all individuals who work at MMA2.”
Air travellers urged to resolve disputes amicably
The terminal two operators urged passengers to always respect the law and airport staff while trying to resolve disputes.
BASL insisted that airport staff will be treated with dignity and with zero tolerance for violence.
Legit.ng reported that the airport operator had increased the car park and lounge service fees at the airport, which left many travellers rankled.
Lagos airport workers embark on strike
In a recent development, workers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos Terminal Two (MMA2) shut down services.
This was to protest the sack of one of their colleagues by the airport operator, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services.
Source: Getty Images
The action of the aggrieved workers disrupted booked flights, pushing passengers to their wits' end.
NCAA establishes mobile courts for offending passengers
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that in a bid to clamp down on unruly passengers who vandalise airport facilities or assault airline staff, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) threatened tough sanctions.
The NCAA planned to enforce penalties through the establishment of magistrates and mobile courts at airports.
It added that such passengers would be arrested, prosecuted, and made to pay for damages caused.
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Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
