Dana Air may be dragged to court by passengers for its alleged refusal to refund fares for a flight which was not provided over 10 months ago. According to the aggrieved passengers, the airline had embarked on failed promises since April.
The passengers, in their hundreds, purchased flight tickets from Dana Air from Abuja to Lagos. The flight was scheduled to take off in Abuja on 25 April 2024 at 1:40 pm, and land in Lagos at 2:55 pm. The flight was later cancelled.
Since then, all efforts by passengers to have their refund had failed as the airline continued to renege on its promises.
When contacted by one of the passengers, an official in the Public Relations Department of the Dana Air referred him to the management. For over 10 months, the passenger’s officially engaged the airline through chat messages, but the management had continued to give false and deceitful promises
Here are the messages:
The passenger wrote: ‘I need to draw your attention to below flight itinerary through ur airline. 25th of April 2024. Return Itinerary for Abuja to Lagos (departure time) 13:40. (landing time) 14;55. PNR -DIJDAP. This flight was cancelled by ur airline and 7 months after no refund.
‘However, am asked by Dana Public Relations Officer to contact this line for a refund. I await your early response. It’s over 24 hours above message sent to you. I noticed it was read and deliberately ignored. If your organisation refused to address the issue after 7 months of patience I think am justified when I react’.
[24/10/2024, 2:04 pm] Dana Airline Office: ‘Good afternoon. Thank you for contacting Dana Air. We sincerely apologize for the delayed resolution of your refund request. Kindly resend your E-ticket screenshot and bank details for further assistance’.‘25th of April 2024. Return Itinerary for Abuja to Lagos (departure time) 13:40. (landing time) 14;55. PNR -DIJDAP. What’s update on this’, the passenger replied again after weeks of no response
‘[30/10/2024, 9:59 am] Dana Airline Office: Good morning. Thank you for contacting Dana Air. [30/10/2024, 10:01 am] Please resend the full screenshot showing the amount. Also, please confirm if the first segment was used’.
[30/10/2024, 10:03 am] I used first segment. The refund is meant for return. [04/11/2024, 12:17 am] What’s update on the refund? [07/11/2024, 12:37 pm] Dana Airline Office: Good afternoon. Thank you for contacting Dana Air. [07/11/2024, 12:37 pm] Dana Airline Office: Please note that your details have been re-forwarded to the department in charge of refunds as a reminder. Feedback will be provided as soon as possible. We apologize for the delay and the inconveniences caused’. [07/11/2024, 11:06 pm] Appreciate ur proactive responses and measures. However, will also appreciate early refund. [29/11/2024, 9:58 am] What’s delaying the refund after weeks of pledge. This is becoming uncalled for. Don’t push me to the wall to engage you in media war. Its a money you failed to render service for payment. Refund my money before it turns otherwise. This serves as last warning. Enough is enough. This is money you held on to months ago. If a passenger owes u, u won’t fold your arms [04/12/2024, 3:24 pm] Dana Airline Office: Good afternoon. Thank you for contacting Dana Air. [04/12/2024, 3:24 pm] Dana Airline Office: We sincerely apologize for the delay in the refund process. Please be assured that all hands are on deck to ensure you get your refund. [04/12/2024, 7:40 pm] But how long is the management going to make refund after 9 months [12/12/2024, 1:39 pm] This is another reminder. The year is getting to the end [19/12/2024, 10:57 am] Dana Airline Office: Good morning. Thank you for contacting Dana Air. [19/12/2024, 10:57 am] Dana Airline Office: We understand your refund has taken longer than expected and we sincerely apologize for the delay and the inconveniences caused. Please be informed that refunds are done in batches, yours will be paid soon. Once again, we apologize for the delay’. [19/12/2024, 11:11 am]. Can you be specific. It’s over a year now. [09/01, 10:10 pm]. There is one thing that is glaring now. I am now convinced about your deceit and antics on refusal to pay the money. You have pushed me to the wall and I will embarrass your organisation globally if within the next one-week u failed to do the needful. What type of irresponsibility is that? Can a passenger hold on to your money for over a year. Honestly, you are a wicked organisation and not trustworthy. As I said you have pushed me to the wall and I will fight back‘[14/01, 2:46 pm] Dana Airline Office: Good afternoon. Thank you for contacting Dana Air.
[14/01, 2:46 pm] Dana Airline Office: Please note that your delayed refund payment has been escalated and our team is making every effort to ensure you get your refund. We sincerely apologize for the delay’. [14/01, 2:51 pm] I said u should be specific and what’s meaning of this your regular deceit?Findings showed that since the last message on 14 January 2025 when the passenger emphasised the complaint, Dana Air has since kept mute.
On 24 April 2024, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) placed an indefinite suspension on Dana Air’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC). This came barely 24 hours after Dana Air plane from Abuja landed at the Lagos airport runway and veered off into a nearby field.
The aircraft, with registration number 5N BKI, had 83 passengers onboard. However, all the passengers and crew members disembarked unhurt, while emergency responders and regulatory agencies immediately rose to the occasion and opened an investigation to unravel the cause of the incident.
NCAA said that, while the outcome of the investigation by the Nigerian Safety and Investigation Bureau (NSIB) was being awaited, it was important to audit the operations of the carrier. In a letter signed by the Acting Director of the Civil Aviation, Chris Najomo, NCAA said that the AOC of the airline had been suspended.
While awaiting the investigation report from the NSIB, the aviation authority said it had initiated an in-house compliance assessment of the occurrence, taking into accounts Dana Air’s track records in related occurrences.
The letter read: ‘As a precautionary step, and in accordance with Sec 31 (7) of the Civil Aviation Act 2022, the Authority has imposed a suspension on your Air Operator Certificate (AOC) with effect from 24th April, 2024 at 23:59 to allow for a thorough safety and economic audit.
‘The safety audit will entail a re-inspection of your organisation, procedures, personnel and aircraft as specified by Part 1.3.3.3 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, while the economic audit will critically examine the financial health of your airline to guarantee its capability to sustain safe flight operations’.
In a letter to the NCAA, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development expressed displeasure with the incident involving a Dana aircraft.
The letter, issued by the Permanent Secretary, pointed out that the incident had raised serious concerns regarding the safety and financial viability of Dana operations, adding that the development had come to the attention of the Minister
The letter read: ‘As the supervisor overseeing our nation’s aviation safety and regulatory compliance, it has come to the Honourable Minister’s attention that recent incidents involving Dana airline in light of these incidents and with the paramount priority being the safety and well-being of our citizens and travellers, the Honourable Minister has directed that you immediately initiate the suspension of Dana airline’s fleet until a comprehensive audit can be conducted. This audit should encompass all aspects of safety protocols, maintenance procedures, and financial health to ensure full compliance with our aviation regulations’.
‘The recent incidents have underscored the urgency of this matter, and it is imperative that swift and decisive action be taken to safeguard the interests of all stakeholders involved. I trust in your expertise and diligence in carrying out this audit thoroughly and expeditiously. Please keep me informed of the progress and any significant findings throughout this process’.
