Flight Delays: NCAA Sanctions Ethiopian Airlines, 4 Others

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Tuesday, initiated enforcement action against five airlines comprising two international and three domestic operators, for various violations of Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations.

The airlines violated NCAA rules, including nonpayment of refunds within the stipulated timeframe, non-responsiveness to the NCAA’s directives, missing luggage, manhandled luggage, short-landed baggage, delayed and cancelled flights, amongst others.

The director of public affairs and consumer protection of NCAA, Mr. Michael Achimugu, disclosed this whilst speaking to journalists at the corporate headquarters of the Authority in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that although airlines are not always responsible for flight disruptions, NCAA regulations stipulate actions that airlines must take during disruptions. Failure to comply attracts various levels of sanctions.

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Recall that the Authority recently warned that it will initiate sanctions if airlines fail to pay refunds within the stipulated timeframe of 14 days for online ticket purchases and immediate cash refunds for tickets purchased by cash.

The incessant disruptions this Yuletide has caused a surge in passengers’ complaints about delays and cancellations.

Achimugu, howeever, defended the airlines for most of the cancellations.

“We all know that this is harmattan season, so there is poor visibility. Flights must get cancelled. This is force majeure, and the airlines do not owe passengers anything in those instances. The enforcement we are initiating today is on cases where the airline is deemed to have been at fault. More will come,” he explained.

The director also assured that the Authority will be summoning the CEOs of all airlines this week to a meeting over flight disruptions and regulatory breaches.

While Achimugu did not disclose the airlines, which were sanctioned, sources close to the Authority disclosed that defaulters are Ethiopian Airways, Royal Maroc Airways, Arik Air, Aero Contractors, and Air Peace.