Lomé, Togo – Several Nigerian passengers were left stranded in Lomé after an Air France flight from Paris to Abuja was unexpectedly diverted due to poor weather conditions in Nigeria’s capital. The incident, which occurred on February 27, 2025, has sparked frustration among affected travelers and prompted intervention from Nigerian aviation authorities.
According to reports, the Air France flight was initially scheduled to land in Abuja but was rerouted to Lomé when weather conditions made landing unsafe. However, rather than promptly facilitating their onward journey to Abuja, the airline planned to keep the stranded passengers in Togo overnight, causing significant distress among travelers.
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, criticized the airline’s handling of the situation, insisting that Air France either make immediate arrangements to fly the passengers to Abuja or provide suitable accommodations in line with international aviation standards.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) quickly stepped in to engage with Air France, ensuring that arrangements were made to return the passengers to Abuja without further delay. In a statement, the NCAA assured affected travelers that they would be rerouted as soon as possible.
This is not the first time Nigerian passengers have faced similar disruptions with Air France. In June 2024, another Paris-to-Abuja flight was diverted to N’Djamena, Chad, due to technical issues and adverse weather, leaving 61 Nigerian passengers stranded for three days before they were transported back to Abuja following government intervention.
The repeated diversions and subsequent delays have raised concerns about Air France’s contingency planning and passenger welfare measures, especially regarding flights bound for Nigeria. Many affected travelers have expressed their dissatisfaction on social media, calling for stricter regulatory oversight to prevent future occurrences.
As authorities continue to monitor the situation, passengers and industry stakeholders are urging airlines to improve their response mechanisms for unforeseen diversions to ensure the comfort and security of travelers.
