NCAA Summons Local Airlines Over Flight Cancellations, Delays

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned domestic airline operators to an emergency meeting over the growing number of unresolved refund compensation complaints, the enforcement of safety measures like the phone switch-off directive, flight delays, and cancellations.

LEADERSHIP reports that the local airlines are Air Peace, Ibom Air, United Nigeria, Green Africa, Max Air, Arik Air, Aero Contractor, ValueJet and Overland.

Speaking on Tuesday on his X handle, the NCAA director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja.
LEADERSHIP reports that the intervention comes amid rising complaints from air travellers and incidents involving unruly passenger behaviour at airports, a trend that the NCAA attributes partly to poor airline adherence to aviation rules.

Achimugu disclosed that the meeting would address a range of critical issues, including persistent flight delays and cancellations, passenger handling protocols and welfare obligations, unresolved refund and compensation complaints, enforcement of safety measures like the phone switch-off directive, protection for cabin crew and NCAA officials, and the Introduction of RFID baggage tagging and real-time flight monitoring technology.

Meanwhile, the NCAA had earlier emphasised that airlines must uphold the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, particularly Part 19, which outlines specific obligations to passengers during delays or cancellations.

The regulatory body stated its readiness to begin “naming and shaming” airlines that consistently flout aviation rules, particularly those that delay or cancel flights without due process or passenger support.
He warned that the era of leniency is over, stating, “For infractions that are sanctionable, the Authority will apply the fullest measures possible. We will not abandon the letters of our regulations.”

Achimugu, however, reiterated that while the NCAA acknowledges the challenges faced by domestic carriers, operators must meet the expected standards if they wish to be regarded as world-class.