Virgin Atlantic has come under fire as Nigerian Passenger dragged the airline to court over missing luggage and alleged negligence.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that Virgin Atlantic Airways is facing a damaging lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged breach of contract and gross mishandling of passenger property, after a Nigerian security expert, Alhaji Ahmed Rabiu, accused the airline of losing his luggage and showing blatant disregard in addressing the matter.
The case, which was scheduled for hearing last Friday, was adjourned to October 22 after the airline failed to file its defence on time, an action the plaintiff’s legal team has described as a stalling tactic and further evidence of the airline’s irresponsibility.
Rabiu is demanding $4,000 for the value of his lost belongings and an additional ₦20 million as compensation for the emotional trauma, inconvenience, and legal expenses incurred while battling to retrieve his missing luggage.
According to court filings, the luggage disappeared during a Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Lagos on September 24, 2024, and despite repeated follow-ups, the airline has neither returned the bag nor paid any form of compensation.
The plaintiff asserts that Virgin Atlantic not only failed in its duty to safeguard his belongings but has also consistently misled and frustrated efforts to seek redress. He argues that the airline’s refusal to admit liability or offer restitution highlights a pattern of negligence and customer disregard.
In its defence, Virgin Atlantic has tried to deflect responsibility by blaming the passenger, claiming he failed to provide sufficient information on the airline’s own Property Irregularity Form. This response has drawn criticism, with observers noting it as an attempt to shift blame rather than accept fault for a clear service failure.
Rabiu insists that he was properly screened, checked in, and his luggage tagged by Virgin Atlantic staff at Heathrow Airport, yet upon arrival in Lagos, he was the only passenger left stranded at the carousel without his bag. His prompt complaint was met with bureaucracy and empty promises.
He also revealed that his legal team had served the airline a formal demand letter, yet Virgin Atlantic continued to act with “reckless indifference,” offering no form of compensation or accountability, despite being bound by contract and international aviation regulations.
The plaintiff accuses the airline of filing a “dilatory and vexatious” defence merely to escape justice, describing its conduct as “a classic case of corporate arrogance and disregard for passenger rights.”
In its court filing, Virgin Atlantic argued that should the court find it liable, its responsibility is limited under the Montreal Convention of 1999, now incorporated into the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act, 2023, a move seen by legal analysts as an attempt to evade full liability under domestic laws.
Justice Alexander Owoeye has fixed October 22, 2025, for what promises to be a highly scrutinised hearing, as consumer rights advocates and industry watchers closely follow the unfolding case that casts a shadow over Virgin Atlantic’s operations in Nigeria.