An eyewitness Account on the Ibom Air Flight No. QI 513 from Uyo to Lagos on Sunday, 10 August 2025, where trouble erupted between Ibom Air crew and an alleged unruly passenger, has alleged that at no point did Comfort Emmanson refuse to switch off her phone, but the air hostess came for trouble.
In an interview with Channels Tv, the eye witness who showed his boarding pass during the interview said he sat on seat 14B, the aisle seat on the left side of the emergency exit row of the Plane while Emmanson sat across the aisle immediately to his right on the corresponding emergency exit row aisle seat (that should be seat 14C or D depending on how the seats were numbered).
“There were only two air hostesses on the plane, which I presume to be a result of the size of the plane. One of the hostesses approached us and gave us the regular briefing for passengers sitting on the emergency exit. This hostess was exceptionally kind, polite and amiable. I will refer to her henceforth as hostess 1.
“After the briefing, she asked Miss. Emmanson politely twice to switch off her phone. I noticed thereafter that Miss. Emmanson was fiddling with her phone with some uncertainty.
After hostess 1 left to continue her duties, hostess 2 came with an almighty huff and told Miss. Emmanson to switch off her phone with a very high voice.
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” Miss. Emmanson, in a low voice, tried to explain to hostess 2 that the buttons on her phone for switch off were not working, so she did not know how to switch off the phone. Hostess 2 rebuffed her and kept insisting that she switch off the phone. Hostess 2 then told her that the phone she was holding was an iPhone, which did not require buttons to switch off.
“The lady now asked the hostess to assist her in switch off the phone, and hostess 2 replied, “I am not touching your phone”. Hostess 2 now told her to go to settings and from there click on general.
“The lady now responded in an even lower voice, saying, “Please, I cannot read and don’t know what you said I should do. Can you just help me?” Hostess 2 now retorted, “Please, I don’t have time for your nonsense. Better switch off that phone immediately”.
“The gentleman sitting to my left in seat 14A and I were flabbergasted when we heard this and could not believe that an air hostess could speak so condescendingly and unnecessarily humiliate a passenger, perhaps because she was a single female,” the eyewitness narrated.
He said he and the other gentleman then intervened and asked the gentleman sitting next to the lady by the window of her row to assist her, who collected the phone and was assisting Emmanson.
He said Emmerson then started asking hostess 2 if there was anything wrong with being unable to read and why she had to humiliate her like that to the whole public.
He revealed that the Hstess 2 now told Emmanson to keep quiet or else she would deal with her, and at this point, Emmanson started cursing and told her she could do nothing to her.
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“Hostess 2 then said, “ok, you will see”, then she left in a puff and proceeded to the cockpit and never came back.
Some passengers sitting afar who did not know what truly transpired were shouting for Emmanson to switch off her phone. However, the passenger in seat 14A and I rose up stoutly and defended her and when they heard our explanations, they all calmed down and the flight took off,” he said
“Suffice to say, at no time did Miss. Emmanson refuse to switch off her phone for take off,” he added.
Airborne
He, however, noted that throughout the flight, Emmason was upset and simmering and kept on discussing the situation with the gentleman on her right till the plane landed.
“She was obviously quite annoyed. I also noticed that Hostess 2 kept peeping at our row throughout the flight. She stayed upfront in the plane most of the time if I recollect correctly.
“Hostess 1, on the other hand, was completely oblivious of the raging storm (at least I thought so) and was kind, polite and professional throughout. Hostess 1 gave extra water to Miss.
“Emmanson, when she asked for it in-flight and also helped her with bringing out and returning her food tray when snacks were served and also as we were approaching landing. Hostess 1 also helped put away some of Miss. Emmanson things in the cabin above before landing,” he said.
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Disembarkation
The eyewitness disclosed that once the plane landed, the gentleman in seat 14A and himself joked that they had better get out quickly before a war breaks out.
” We both expressed hope that nothing happened as we disembarked. Disembarkation was being done row by row, and just before it got to our turn, Miss. Emmanson exited her seat to the back of the plane and I presumed she went to the toilet.
“We happily disembarked, and I forgot all about the spat in the plane until I started seeing all the videos and statements flying unabatedly.
“I hope the other gentlemen who witnessed this unfortunate incident on row 14, along with me, will speak up and corroborate all I have said, which is the truth. I am ready to stand by all I have said here and will be glad to stand as a witness if need be for Miss Emmanson,” he added.
