The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has criticised Air Peace for allegedly attempting to obstruct its ongoing investigation into claims of exploitative ticket pricing and other potential consumer rights violations.
According to a statement on Sunday, the FCCPC clarified that a recent meeting with Air Peace representatives on December 3 at its Abuja headquarters was misrepresented in media reports.
It said the meeting, held in private to ensure confidentiality as permitted under the FCCPA 2018, followed numerous complaints from passengers.
The FCCPC noted that despite the private nature of the session, media leaks afterward included unfounded claims, such as assertions that Air Peace was not under investigation.
The leaks also quoted the airline’s chairman Allen Onyema in statements the FCCPC described as boastful, including a comment about possibly shutting down the airline to demonstrate its importance. The commission condemned the media leaks, emphasising that its investigation is ongoing and urged the public to disregard unverified reports.
The FCCPC added, “Although the Commission chose to conduct the December 3 session in camera as a gesture of good faith to preserve confidentiality, no sooner had the session ended than leaks appeared in the media attributing unfounded but prejudicial statements to the Commission’s officials, categorically declaring that ‘Air Peace was not under investigation’. These leaks also quoted the Air Peace Chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema, engaging in ostentation of self-adulation. Curiously, the same media leaks omitted a boastful statement by Mr. Onyema at the same December 3 engagement that he could decide to shut down the airline, ostensibly to show he was doing the nation a favour by flying.”
The FCCPC reiterated in a December 5 statement that its inquiry was still ongoing, urging the public to disregard unverified media reports.
The commission took issue with claims made during a December 6 press conference by Air Peace in Lagos. It described the airline’s remarks as “outlandish claims and innuendos obviously intended to whip up sentiments” while failing to address the core issues.
“By asserting that only the aviation regulatory agency could inquire into its affairs, Air Peace betrays a terribly poor understanding of both the legal and moral pillars of its operating environment. Passengers are consumers of its services. Their rights are inalienable and guaranteed under the FCCPA. It is the basis of FCCPC’s intervention,” the agency noted.
The FCCPC cited its legal mandate, under Section 17(e) of the FCCPA 2018, to conduct necessary inquiries into any matter under the Act’s purview, and Section 127(1)(a), which prohibits unfair, unreasonable, or unjust pricing practices.
The inquiry into Air Peace focuses on allegations of unjustified fare hikes for advance bookings on certain domestic routes and a lack of transparency in pricing structures, which may violate consumer rights and fair competition principles.
The FCCPC concluded by reiterating its commitment to protecting consumer rights and ensuring fair competition across all sectors, including aviation.
