Lagos Court Orders Virgin Atlantic to Pay $5,906 to Passenger Denied Boarding

A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered Virgin Atlantic Airways to compensate Mrs Joy Ezetah with $5,906.50 after the airline allegedly denied her boarding on a scheduled Lagos‑to‑London flight, which disrupted her onward travel to Canada and caused financial losses.

Justice Ibrahim Kala delivered the judgment on Monday, finding that Virgin Atlantic was responsible for the hardship and losses suffered by the claimant when she was denied boarding at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on 6 April 2024.

Ezetah sought N100 million in general damages, arguing that she had purchased a business‑class ticket through Air Canada for a four‑leg journey between Lagos and Toronto but was prevented from boarding the Virgin Atlantic flight without a valid reason.

She told the court that she had arrived early at the airport, completed check‑in, and received a boarding pass for the Lagos‑London segment of her trip.

According to her, Virgin Atlantic officials later denied her access to the flight because her ticket could not be linked to the connecting Air Canada flight from London to Toronto.

The claimant maintained that Virgin Atlantic owed her a duty of care and should have resolved the issue directly with Air Canada or arranged alternative travel instead of refusing her boarding.

She further informed the court that subsequent communication with Air Canada confirmed that her ticket remained valid and that she was expected on the connecting flight.

Virgin Atlantic denied responsibility, stating that it was not the issuing carrier because the ticket was purchased directly from Air Canada under a codeshare arrangement.

The airline also argued that a system error prevented the issuance of a boarding pass for the connecting flight and said it had acted appropriately by advising the passenger to contact the issuing airline.

It further contended that the claimant’s inability to complete online check‑in before arriving at the airport indicated that there had already been an issue with the ticket.

After reviewing the evidence and legal arguments, Justice Kala ruled in favour of the claimant, finding her case substantiated.

The court awarded $5,906.50 against Virgin Atlantic, directing that the amount be paid using the prevailing exchange rate approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Based on the official rate of N1,365.50 to one dollar, the award amounts to approximately N8.07 million.

The judge also ordered the airline to pay interest at 10 percent per annum on the judgment sum until the debt is fully settled.

Additionally, the court awarded N5 million in litigation costs to the airline, noting that the claimant had to seek judicial intervention to enforce her rights.