NCAA probes airline over poor ventilation after passenger bleeds

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that it will investigate reported poor ventilation on a flight from Abuja to Calabar after a passenger experienced bleeding due to excessive heat. The NCAA spokesperson made this announcement on Tuesday, reacting to a tweet by Bashir Usman, who detailed his experience on the flight on October 26, 2026.

Usman boarded the aircraft at 12:07 pm, only to find that the engines were not running and the air conditioning was not functioning for approximately 50 minutes. He described the heat as "unbearable" and began to bleed during this time. Despite the crew's decision to order him to disembark, Usman insisted he was fine and was later allowed to remain on board.

The lengthy wait in an aircraft without proper ventilation led Usman to express his distress, with a scheduled flight duration of just 45 minutes. The NCAA spokesperson acknowledged Usman's plight and expressed concern about the unsafe conditions onboard, emphasizing the importance of cabin crew members adhering to their safety duties.

They warned passengers against preventing crew members from performing their safety responsibilities, as cabin crew were acting in good faith to ensure everyone's safety, especially in light of recent health scares.