British Airways Offloads 58 Passengers on Abuja–London Flight over Safety Concerns

British Airways has offloaded 58 passengers from its Abuja–London flight due to a faulty aircraft door.

The incident occurred on Friday morning, August 15, 2025, affecting flight BA052 from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to London Heathrow.

According to Michael Achimugu, spokesperson for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the technical issue required the airline to keep the seats around the affected door unoccupied for safety reasons, resulting in some passengers being denied boarding.

“Affected passengers can file for compensation. Arrangements are being made to airlift them tomorrow morning,” Achimugu confirmed in a post on X.

He revealed that British Airways provided hotel accommodation for the stranded travellers, with 28 passengers opting to return home while 30 accepted the hotel offer.

Advising passengers on handling such incidents, Achimugu added,“The first resort in situations like this is to locate the NCAA Consumer Protection Officers at the terminal, and they will ensure that your right to care is protected (if the airline delays).”

The NCAA further assured travellers that safety was the top priority and that necessary arrangements were in place to minimise inconvenience.