A Nigerian family has demanded $1 million in general damages and compensation from Kenya Airways over a disrupted Christmas trip involving their daughter, a minor.
The family, represented by Donald Ibebuike of the Creed & Brooks Partners law firm, addressed the airline in a letter dated December 21, 2024, accusing it of exposing them to unnecessary expenses and distress due to the mishandling of their travel arrangements.
The family, led by Akhanememeh Joseph Osikhena, had booked return tickets for a trip to the United Kingdom, intending to celebrate Christmas and New Year together, visit friends and relatives, and explore tourist attractions. They purchased the tickets through Wakanow.com Ltd. on August 31, 2024. Their journey began on December 16, 2024, at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, where the family’s travel documents, including those of the minor, Ms. Gabriella Ikhianosimeh Akhanemeh, were checked by Kenya Airways and boarding passes issued for the flight to London via Nairobi.
However, upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, the airline allegedly refused to allow the minor to board the connecting flight, citing “clerical errors” in her travel documents, which had already been processed and accepted in Lagos. According to the law firm, the passport numbers associated with the minor were incorrectly entered by one digit each, though the names were correct, as confirmed by the UK Border Agency.
The lawyer claims that the airline’s refusal forced the family to abandon their planned trip, with the father remaining in Nairobi to attend to his daughter’s emotional distress, while his wife and two other children continued their journey to London. The family was reportedly told to pay over $4,000 for their return flight to Lagos, which the law firm described as an “infamous and ill-conceived decision,” causing unnecessary financial strain and trauma.
The letter demands that Kenya Airways either complete the journey for the family at no cost or return them to Lagos immediately. It also calls for compensation of $1 million for the inconvenience and emotional distress caused. The law firm has given the airline seven days to respond.
Nairametrics reached out to Kenya Airways for a comment, but the airline had not responded at the time of publishing.
Flight cancellations and mishandling of travel plans are frequent sources of disputes in the airline industry, often leading to legal action. Recently, Qatar Airways was ordered by a Federal High Court in Abuja to pay damages and costs to an ex-lawmaker after canceling his flight to the United States.
