Saudia considers cargo plane to clear massive baggage backlog for Nigerian passengers
Saudi Arabia flag
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that Saudi Airlines (Saudia) is considering deploying a cargo aircraft to transport hundreds of tonnes of stranded passenger luggage from Jeddah to Nigeria.
In an update shared on Tuesday, Michael Achimugu, NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, said, “Saudi is now considering using a cargo aircraft to ferry the luggage to Nigeria. All parties are committed to resolving this situation as quickly as possible.”
The development follows growing complaints from Nigerian travellers who arrived home without their bags. Earlier on Tuesday, Achimugu detailed the scale of the problem, “When the NCAA intervened last week, 8 tons of luggage was flown in. However, considering that over three thousand passengers are affected, it means that an estimated 180 tons of passenger luggage are still stuck in Jeddah.”
He added that the airline has pledged to fly in the remaining luggage in the coming days and is offering compensation to affected passengers who file formal complaints.
Refund options for tickets are also available through designated channels.
The carrier has appointed a new country manager for its Nigeria operations amid the crisis.
The baggage disruption has been linked to specific operational challenges out of Kano, according to the airline.
The NCAA has been engaging Saudia closely and assisting with efforts to resolve the underlying issues while emphasising stronger consumer protection standards.
This is not the first time Saudia has faced regulatory scrutiny in Nigeria.
The NCAA previously sanctioned the airline for unresolved consumer complaints, and the carrier has encountered other service disruptions involving Nigerian passengers in recent months.
Thousands of travellers, many returning from Saudi Arabia, have been impacted by delayed or missing luggage, prompting widespread frustration and repeated appeals to the regulator.
Achimugu stressed that the authority is actively monitoring the situation and working to ensure a swift resolution for all affected passengers.
