Agency Warns Domestic Airlines Over Delays In Passenger Refunds

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has again warned domestic airlines against delays in refunding passengers, alleging that the airlines’ rules contradict the NCAA’s.

The NCAA director of public affairs and consumer protection, Michael Achimugu, alleged that, contrary to the NCAA’s 14-day refund policy, domestic airlines now tell passengers their refunds will take four weeks.

While warning against such action by domestic airlines, Achimugu said there could not be two captains in an aircraft and noted that domestic airlines taking four weeks to pay refunds to passengers instead of 14 days as stipulated in the NCAA regulations undermine the regulator’s powers.

Achimugu, who stated this via his verified official X handle, @mikeachimugu01, on Monday, warned that “there cannot be two captains in command” in Nigeria’s aviation services industry, maintaining that NCAA regulations must be obeyed to the letter by all airlines.

“Domestic airlines must stop telling passengers that their refund process takes four weeks. There can’t be two captains-in-command on an aircraft.

“The NCAA regulations are clear about the timeframe for ticket refunds, which is 14 days. Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023 remains in force. Operators cannot create a different rule in this regard.”

He further called on passengers to forward to his official emails and communications with the airline if they stated that the refund would take four weeks to process.

He said, “To all the passengers: if you apply for a refund and an airline tells you that it would take 4 weeks, kindly forward that communication to [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] immediately,” Achimugu advised.

“Enough of this. We cannot all claim to be working for the improvement of the industry and be duplicating rules in a manner that undermines the Authority and is unfair to passengers.”