Air Peace denies dumping Jamaica-bound passengers in Barbados

Air Peace has denied claims that it sold tickets to Jamaica and later abandoned passengers in Barbados, saying the reports do not reflect what happened during the Barbados incident.

In a statement issued on Monday, the airline said all tickets were sold in line with international aviation rules and standard airline procedures, adding that passengers were not misled about their travel plans.

According to Air Peace, routine pre-departure checks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos showed that some passengers did not have the required transit visas to travel through Antigua to destinations such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

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“In compliance with regulatory requirements, Air Peace immediately offered the affected passengers a full refund of their tickets,” the airline said.

While some passengers accepted the refunds, Air Peace explained that others asked to be rerouted through Barbados, noting that Nigerian passport holders do not require transit visas when travelling through Barbados to Jamaica and other destinations.

“Based solely on this voluntary request, Air Peace facilitated the rerouting. In total, 42 passengers freely and expressly had their tickets rerouted through Barbados. No passenger was forced, coerced, or compelled to travel to Barbados,” the statement said.

The airline said an operational delay caused the flight to arrive in Barbados later than planned, leading passengers to miss their onward connections.

Air Peace added that the airline scheduled to handle the next leg of the journey did not honour the onward tickets, leaving the affected passengers stranded. 

According to the airline, some passengers could not secure hotel accommodation after their credit card payments were declined.

Air Peace further stated that Barbados immigration officials raised concerns about return travel plans.

“Passengers with return dates of December 31, 2025, indicated plans to return to Nigeria months later with no alternative means of travel. This was deemed unacceptable by Barbados immigration authorities,” Air Peace said.

Out of the group, Air Peace said 67 passengers were allowed into Barbados and continued their journeys, while 25 were denied entry after individual assessments by immigration officials.

The airline said immigration decisions were outside its control and maintained that it met its responsibilities by offering refunds, arranging voluntary rerouting, providing assistance on the ground, and ensuring the return of affected passengers.

“Air Peace did not abandon, dump, or deliberately inconvenience any passenger. The airline acted responsibly, transparently, and in good faith at all times,” the statement said.