West and Central Africa’s largest airline, Air Peace, has strongly refuted allegations that it sold tickets to Jamaica and subsequently “dumped” passengers in Barbados, describing the claims as misleading and inconsistent with the facts surrounding the incident.
In a press release issued on Monday, the airline said all tickets were sold strictly in line with international aviation regulations and standard airline sales practices, stressing that at no point were passengers deceived or misled about their travel arrangements.
According to Air Peace, routine pre-departure profiling and documentation checks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, revealed that some passengers lacked the required transit visas to travel via Antigua to their final destinations, including Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
“In compliance with regulatory requirements, Air Peace immediately offered the affected passengers a full refund of their tickets,” the airline stated.
While some passengers accepted the refund option, Air Peace said others voluntarily requested to be rerouted through Barbados, noting that Nigerian passport holders do not require transit visas for Barbados en route to Jamaica and other destinations.
“Based solely on this voluntary request, Air Peace facilitated the rerouting. In total, 42 passengers freely and expressly had their tickets rerouted through Barbados. No passenger was forced, coerced, or compelled to travel to Barbados,” the statement said.
The airline explained that an unforeseen operational delay resulted in the passengers arriving in Barbados later than scheduled, causing them to miss onward connections.
Air Peace added that the onward tickets held by the passengers were not honoured by the airline they intended to continue their journey with, leaving them stranded.
It further disclosed that some passengers were unable to secure hotel accommodation after their credit card transactions were declined, while Barbados immigration authorities also raised concerns about return travel arrangements.
“Passengers with return dates of December 31, 2025, indicated plans to return to Nigeria months later with no alternative means of travel. This was deemed unacceptable by Barbados immigration authorities,” Air Peace said.
According to the airline, out of the passenger group, 67 passengers were granted entry into Barbados and continued their journeys, while 25 passengers were denied entry following individual assessments by immigration officials.
Air Peace stressed that immigration decisions were outside its control, adding that the airline fulfilled its obligations by offering refunds, facilitating voluntary rerouting, providing on-ground assistance and ensuring the safe return of affected passengers.
“Air Peace did not abandon, dump, or deliberately inconvenience any passenger. The airline acted responsibly, transparently, and in good faith at all times,” the statement said.
The airline reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, regulatory compliance and customer care, while urging media organisations to verify facts with relevant stakeholders before publication.
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