NCAA Summons Airlines Over Flight Disruptions, Refunds

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed all domestic airlines to appear before it on Wednesday at its headquarters in Abuja for a meeting over recent flight disruptions.

NCAA’s Director of Public Relations and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, who revealed this on his verified X handle on Tuesday, said among the issues to be addressed include “Unruly passenger behaviour and passenger handling protocols.

Others include unresolved refund/compensation issues; introduction of RFID bagtags and flight monitoring technology, enforcement of phone switch-off instruction and protection for cabin crew as well as improved travel experience for passengers.

According to him, “The NCAA has invited all domestic airlines to a meeting in Abuja slated for tomorrow, Wednesday,” Achimugu said.

This is coming barely 24 hours after Achimugu said the regulatory authority had the mandate of the federal government “to begin naming and shaming” airlines that delay and cancel flights, especially at odd hours without providing the right comfort for the stranded passengers as stipulated in Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.

Achimugu had said that when airlines cancel flights without taking care of the welfare of passengers, they expose the NCAA’s consumer protection officers to danger.

He explained that if airline has kept passengers at the terminal up to 12 midnight before cancelling a flight, the airline owes the passengers hotel accommodation.

According to him, “The regulations stipulate that passengers stranded between the hours of 2200 and 0400 hours be given accommodation.

“The situation where airline staff intentionally disappear, leaving NCAA Consumer Protection Officers to handle justifiably irate and frustrated passengers will no longer be tolerated.

“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?”

Achimugu further said that the airline should stop exposing NCAA officials “to avoidable risk when all they do is support your business and protect your rights.”