The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned airline operators against the unnecessary flight delays and cancellations as well as the attitude of airline staff abandoning passengers.
In a statement via X on Monday, NCAA spokesperson, Michael Achimugu, said such moves “will no longer be tolerated,” vowing that the authority would begin naming and shaming defaulting airlines.
He said NCAA would enforce strict compliance with aviation regulations, stressing that passengers stranded between 10:00 pm and 4:00 am due to cancellations or delays are entitled to hotel accommodation at the airline’s expense.
Achimugu said the decision, backed by directives from the Federal Government and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, signals a tougher regulatory approach aimed at boosting accountability and protecting passenger welfare in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
READ ALSO: Petrol Scarcity Looms As NUPENG Continues Strike
The move comes amid rising incidents of airport violence linked to flight disruptions. While some unruly behaviours were caused by passengers’ ignorance of aviation rules, others, according to the NCAA, stemmed from airlines’ deliberate attempts to circumvent regulations and deny passengers their rights.
The authority condemned a growing trend in which airline staff allegedly disappear from terminals during disruptions, leaving NCAA Consumer Protection Officers to manage stranded and agitated passengers alone.
“The situation where airline staff intentionally disappear, leaving NCAA Consumer Protection Officers to handle justifiably irate and frustrated passengers will no longer be tolerated,” Achimugu warned.
He acknowledged the operational difficulties facing airlines in Nigeria and maintained that such challenges do not excuse non-compliance with established rules.
The NCAA also criticised the exposure of its staff to potentially dangerous situations, stressing that officials are only present to support both passengers and the airline industry.
“While one understands the challenges that operators face in our peculiar operating environment, whoever willfully ventures into a business and wants to remain in it must do it well.
“We must not always choose the easy way out. Don’t you want to be called ‘world class’? Don’t you want to compete at the highest level? If not for the sake of the passengers who trust you to safely fly them, what about for your own pride?
“You cannot expose NCAA officials to avoidable risk when all they do is support your business and protect your rights,” Achimugu added.
If an airline has kept passengers at the terminal up to 00hrs before cancelling a flight, they OWE their passengers hotel accommodation. The regulations stipulate that passengers stranded between the hours of 2200 and 0400 be given accommodation.
The situation where airline…
Source: Channels TV
Leave a Reply