By Peter Omopo
Lagos, June 28, 2025 — Passengers arriving Nigeria aboard an Air Côte d’Ivoire flight from Abidjan have expressed outrage and frustration after the airline reportedly failed to deliver their luggage three days after landing.
The affected travellers, many of whom had connected from the United States via Ethiopian Airlines, said they boarded the Ivorian carrier in Abidjan for their final leg to Nigeria on Thursday. However, upon arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, they were informed their bags had not arrived with the flight.
The passengers claimed they were not notified in advance that their luggage would be left behind in Abidjan.
One of the affected passengers, Felicia Aina, told PUNCH that the delay had disrupted her plans, as she was in Nigeria to attend a special event.
“They never told us our luggage wouldn’t arrive with us. My dress for an engagement I was to attend on Saturday is still stuck somewhere. Another passenger even had prescription medication in her bag and was devastated when we were told,” she said.
Another passenger, who declined to give her name for fear of reprisal, said nearly 30 passengers were left stranded without their belongings.
“We were all yelling at the airline staff at the Lagos airport. How can they drop our bags in another country without any prior notice? It’s unacceptable. What if someone had life-saving medication? The government needs to step in. We’re being treated without regard,” she lamented.
She added that her aunt, who had delayed her own travel plans to receive an item from her, may now miss her flight due to the luggage mix-up.
“There’s no talk of compensation, no apology—nothing. This is not how an airline should treat passengers,” she said.
Efforts to reach Air Côte d’Ivoire’s local representatives for comments were unsuccessful as of press time. Passengers say they continue to check daily with the airline’s baggage desk, with no definitive timeline for when their luggage will be delivered.
