Frequent Flyers Association Raises Alarm Over Alleged Baggage Theft on Ethiopian Airlines Kano Route

By BANNERNEWS Reporter
The Frequent Flyers Association has raised alarm over what it described as persistent incidents of missing, tampered with and stolen baggage involving passengers flying Ethiopian Airlines to Kano, Nigeria.
In a statement issued in Kano on Monday, the association said the incidents were most prevalent on flights transiting through Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Airlines’ main hub, and had affected its members over an extended period.
According to the group, both hand luggage and checked baggage belonging to frequent and loyal passengers have repeatedly arrived short-landed or with valuable contents missing, leading to heavy financial losses and emotional distress.
The association noted that traders were among the worst hit, as many rely on Ethiopian Airlines for the timely and secure movement of goods critical to their livelihoods, which have now been severely disrupted.
It lamented that despite several formal complaints lodged with the airline through different channels, no effective or lasting corrective measures have been put in place, adding that the situation has continued to deteriorate.
The group said the recurring nature of the incidents had raised strong suspicions that some individuals within the baggage handling chain may be deliberately exploiting loopholes to steal passengers’ belongings.
Describing the trend as unacceptable, the association said the alleged negligence amounted to a serious breach of international aviation standards on the protection of passenger property and a failure of Ethiopian Airlines’ duty of care.
The association called on the management of Ethiopian Airlines to immediately institute a transparent investigation into the matter, while urging relevant aviation regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies to intervene urgently.
It warned that failure to take decisive action would compel the group to escalate the issue to international aviation bodies and draw global attention to the experiences of passengers travelling on the Kano route, while demanding accountability and compensation for affected travellers.