Drama erupted at Maiduguri International Airport on Monday after more than 100 Max Air passengers were left stranded for hours following a standoff between the airline’s pilots and management over unpaid debts.

The situation caused panic and confusion among travellers who had already boarded the aircraft and were waiting for takeoff.

An eyewitness, who declined to be named for safety reasons, said the pilots refused to operate the flight, while flight attendants attributed the disruption to the pilots’ unpaid entitlements.

The shocking incident held the scheduled flight hostage for several hours, sparking tension among passengers. The situation eventually forced them to disembark in frustration after being informed about the dispute and the pilot’s refusal to fly.

Another eyewitness, identified simply as Shola, said that the pilots were protesting over unresolved financial issues with the airline, according to The Punch.

He confirmed that boarding had already been completed when airline staff suddenly instructed passengers to disembark and return to the terminal.

A passenger on the affected flight confirmed that boarding had been completed when airline staff abruptly instructed everyone to disembark and return to the terminal.

“We had all taken our seats and were waiting to take off when they asked us to disembark,” the source said.

According to the same source, passengers waited in uncertainty for several hours before the issue was finally resolved.

“There was tension initially, but after some time, we were told the issue had been settled. We were later asked to re-board the aircraft,” the traveller said.

Confirming the incident, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, said the dispute was amicably resolved by both parties without the need for regulatory intervention.

“The flight later departed around past 2:00 pm, which means the issue was resolved. Since it was an internal matter, and the aircraft eventually flew, we consider it closed.”

Achimugu added, “We typically don’t intervene in salary-related disputes unless a formal report is submitted.”

He added that although the NCAA is responsible for regulating safety and operational standards, internal issues like wage disputes between staff and management are generally left for the airline to resolve, except when such matters threaten flight safety.

Max Air’s Executive Director, Shehu Wada, also confirmed the incident, describing it as a case of miscommunication.

“It is a communication gap issue, and it has been resolved. That is how I can describe it basically,” he said.