The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has escalated an incident involving a passenger who reportedly began bleeding after spending about 50 minutes inside an aircraft without functioning air conditioning.
The PUNCH gathered that the incident happened before the take-off of Abuja-Calabar aircraft, with the authority set to investigate the circumstances surrounding the delay and the handling of the passenger.
The passenger, Bashir Usman, and the NCAA shared their accounts of the incident on X on Tuesday. Neither identified the airline involved.
Usman, who posted about the experience through his X handle, @Senatorbash, said the aircraft doors had been closed, leaving passengers inside for nearly 50 minutes without the engines running or the air conditioning working.
“The heat became unbearable, and I eventually started bleeding,” Usman said.
It was gathered that cabin crew members subsequently approached him and informed him that he would have to be disembarked because of the bleeding, ostensibly to prevent a medical emergency during the flight.
He said, “When the crew approached me and said I would have to be disembarked because of the bleeding, ostensibly to avoid a medical emergency onboard, I repeatedly told them I was fine.”
Usman, however, said fellow passengers expressed concern over the conditions inside the aircraft and rallied around him as his condition drew attention.
“Many of you spoke up, expressed your displeasure over the unbearable heat and lack of ventilation, and showed genuine concern for my wellbeing,” he said.
Describing the support he received, Usman said some passengers took turns fanning him, while a woman gave him her personal mini hand fan.
“Your support meant so much to me. Following your intervention, I was allowed to remain onboard,” he said.
The aircraft eventually arrived in Calabar at 2:04pm, a journey Usman said was particularly distressing, given the prolonged wait in the heat and the route’s scheduled flight duration of about 45 minutes.
He expressed gratitude to the passengers who spoke up, offered assistance and showed concern, describing their actions as a powerful reminder of human compassion.
He stated, “We boarded as strangers, but you reminded me that humanity, compassion and solidarity are still very much alive among us.
“I may not know your names, but I will never forget your kindness. We shared a difficult flight, but you gave me a beautiful reminder of the goodness of humanity.”
Usman also offered prayers for the woman who gave him her fan and the other passengers who supported him, saying he hoped they would receive the same kindness whenever they needed help.
Reacting to the incident, NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu said he had contacted Usman by telephone and expressed sympathy over the experience, adding that he was pleased the passenger was doing well.
He stated, “Again, I empathise with you over the experience that led to your bleeding. I am glad that you are okay now.”
Achimugu further noted that Usman had explained that heat triggered the condition and that he had experienced it since childhood.
However, the NCAA spokesperson defended the cabin crew’s response, arguing that the personnel had a responsibility to follow safety procedures because they could not have known the cause of the bleeding.
“From cabin crew perspective, they were following due process and ensuring the safety of the passengers who thought they were heroes by stopping cabin crew from doing their job,” he said.
Achimugu explained that although Usman knew the circumstances behind his condition, the crew did not have the same information and had to consider the possibility that he required urgent medical attention.
“You knew it was heat stroke. They did not know that. You may have needed immediate medical attention, and the difference between life and death might have been the little time that the others spent preventing airline personnel from doing their job,” he said.
He further noted that cabin crew members were expected to remain vigilant, particularly amid recent concerns over Ebola, and stressed that their responsibility was to safeguard everyone onboard.
“They were doing their job,” he said.
Despite defending the crew’s actions, Achimugu confirmed that the NCAA would escalate the matter to its Directorate of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards for further examination.
