Saudi Air luggage crisis leaves more than 3,000 Nigerian passengers without their belongings as 180 tonnes remain stranded in Jeddah

More than 3,000 Nigerian passengers returning from Saudi Arabia have been left without their belongings after Saudi Air failed to transport an estimated 180 tonnes of luggage from Jeddah to Nigeria, prompting intervention by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.

Also read: FAAN: Nigeria Air Passengers Hit 18.8m in 2025

The baggage crisis has left passengers arriving in Nigeria without personal effects, triggering frustration and complaints over the airline’s handling of their luggage.

The NCAA confirmed the scale of the backlog in a statement on X, saying it had intervened and was engaging Saudi Air over the return of the stranded belongings.

NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu acknowledged the complaints from affected passengers and said the regulator was actively working to resolve the situation.

“We hear your complaints, and we read your comments. Nobody is happy about this, and we are not silent,” Achimugu said.

According to the NCAA, an initial intervention resulted in eight tonnes of luggage being transported from Jeddah to Nigeria.

However, the quantity was only a fraction of the outstanding baggage.

“When the NCAA intervened last week, eight 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,” Achimugu said.

The regulator has been in direct contact with Saudi Air’s management to secure the return of the remaining luggage.

Achimugu said he spent the night discussing the crisis with the airline’s country manager, who was dealing with a family emergency involving his son.

“I have spent all night discussing with the country manager whose son, sadly, is undergoing surgery at the moment,” he said.

While expressing sympathy for the manager’s circumstances, Achimugu said the NCAA had stressed that the baggage situation still required urgent attention.

The country manager subsequently referred the NCAA official to another member of the airline’s management team identified as Omar for further discussions.

The NCAA said Saudi Air had assured affected passengers that it would compensate eligible travellers who formally submit complaints through the airline’s designated complaints platform.

The airline has also promised to transport the remaining luggage to Nigeria within the coming days.

Passengers seeking refunds for eligible tickets have been directed to use a separate refund platform provided by the airline.

Saudi Air reportedly attributed some of the baggage difficulties to operational challenges affecting its operations out of Kano.

The NCAA said it was assisting the airline in addressing the operational difficulties but stressed that passenger welfare and consumer protection must remain central to the resolution.

“Saudi has been advised to take consumer protection very seriously,” Achimugu said.

The baggage crisis has also led to a management change within the airline’s Nigerian operations.

Saudi Air has appointed a new country manager for Nigeria, who is expected to strengthen communication with the NCAA and improve the airline’s engagement with affected passengers.

For passengers who have already returned to Nigeria without their belongings, the immediate concern remains the recovery of the stranded luggage and clarity over when individual items will arrive.

The NCAA has urged affected passengers to formally lodge complaints with Saudi Air and continue monitoring official updates as the airline works to move the remaining baggage.

The regulator also appealed to passengers to remain patient while discussions continue, while acknowledging the scale of the disruption.

“Be assured that we are not sleeping on this,” Achimugu said.

Also read: FAAN: Nigeria Air Passengers Hit 18.8m in 2025

The NCAA said it would continue engaging Saudi Air until the baggage situation is resolved and urged affected passengers to help circulate its updates so that other travellers caught up in the disruption are aware of the steps being taken.