More than 3,000 passengers who travelled to Kano on Saudi Arabian Airlines flights have been left without their luggage, which remains in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, weeks after their arrival. The affected passengers said the situation had left many of them without clothes, medication, documents and other essential belongings. They expressed frustration and disappointment at the lack of communication from the airline and relevant Nigerian authorities.
Some passengers, who returned to Nigeria nearly two weeks ago, said they were shocked to arrive at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport without their checked-in luggage. In some cases, they said, even their hand luggage was not delivered. The passengers said neither the airline nor the relevant Nigerian authorities adequately informed them that their luggage would not travel with them.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has confirmed that more than 3,000 passengers were affected by the baggage backlog. The authority said about eight tonnes of luggage had been brought into Nigeria so far following its intervention. However, it said an estimated 180 tonnes of luggage remained stranded in Jeddah.
One of the passengers, Engineer Usman Ahmed Zun-Noorayne, who travelled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah on September 1 and returned to Nigeria on September 15, said passengers boarded the flight without being informed that their luggage would not arrive with them. He said some passengers had left phones, house and car keys, ATM cards, identity cards and other valuables inside their hand luggage.
Another passenger, Babagana Muhammad, who travelled with his wife from Heathrow Airport in London, said they checked in two pieces of 23kg baggage each before departing for Kano. But after landing in Kano on September 17, they waited at the baggage carousel only to hear from airport porters that the aircraft had arrived without passengers’ luggage.
A senior staff member of Saudi Arabian Airlines’ Kano office confirmed that the baggage disruption was linked to a shortage of jet fuel at the airport. The airline said it had explained the situation to passengers and was making arrangements to transport their baggage separately. However, the management of the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport disputed the fuel claim, saying there was no jet-fuel shortage.
The NCAA said it had engaged Saudi Arabian Airlines over the baggage backlog and that the airline had agreed to compensate affected passengers who file complaints through its official complaint portal. The authority assured passengers that it would continue monitoring the situation until their baggage was delivered.
Key points
- More than 3,000 passengers were affected by the baggage backlog.
- About eight tonnes of luggage had been brought into Nigeria following the NCAA's intervention.
- Approximately 180 tonnes of luggage remained stranded in Jeddah.
