In a bold move, Sovereignty Legal Practitioners, a prominent law firm in Nigeria, has issued a warning to British Airways, threatening to file a class action lawsuit over the airline's alleged inhumane treatment of Nigerian passengers. The firm's Principal Partner, Ife Ajayi, outlined the grievances in a pre-action letter dated August 30, 2024, where he expressed deep concerns about the persistent disruptions to British Airways' Nigerian routes, specifically highlighting the use of faulty and substandard aircraft.The letter, addressed to British Airways' Customer Relations Department in London, was also sent to key Nigerian authorities, including the Ministry of Aviation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Attorney General, and other prominent government agencies. The firm is determined to seek justice for the affected Nigerian passengers if British Airways fails to address these issues.Ajayi recounted numerous incidents where Nigerian passengers experienced severe flight delays, cancellations, and even disembarkations due to technical issues with the aircraft. One particularly disturbing incident occurred on August 29, 2024, at Heathrow Airport, where Nigerian passengers on a British Airways flight to Abuja were disembarked after three hours of waiting post-check-in. The passengers were then crammed into low-budget hotels without any clear indication of when they would be able to depart for Nigeria.The law firm emphasized that these recurring incidents have caused untold hardships for hundreds of Nigerians, many of whom have been subjected to significant economic and health challenges as a result of the delays and cancellations. "Our clients have faced severe economic losses and health risks due to the airline's recurring technical failures," the letter read. "The frequent disruptions are not only traumatizing but also raise serious safety concerns, particularly for children."Sovereignty Legal Practitioners also highlighted the disparity between the treatment of passengers on Nigerian routes compared to other international destinations. According to Ajayi, while British Airways appears to use modern and well-maintained aircraft on other routes, Nigerian passengers are repeatedly subjected to subpar aircraft prone to technical failures. What makes the situation even more frustrating for Nigerian travelers is the fact that tickets for Nigerian routes are among the most expensive, despite the poor service."Surprisingly, Nigerian routes are the most expensive when compared to other international routes, yet our clients are being maltreated and disrespected repeatedly," Ajayi stated.
