The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has initiated enforcement action against five airlines (two international and three domestic operators) for various violations of Part 19 of the NCAA regulations.
The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, disclosed this in a statement released to journalists on Tuesday.
They were sanctioned for nonpayment of refunds within the stipulated time frame, non-responsiveness to the NCAA’s directives, missing luggage, manhandled luggage, short-landed baggage, and delayed and cancelled flights, among other things.
He stated that while airlines are not always to blame for flight disruptions, NCAA regulations.
The Authority will impose sanctions on airlines that do not issue refunds within 14 days for online ticket purchases or provide immediate cash refunds for cash ticket purchases.
This holiday season has seen an increase in passenger complaints about delays and cancellations, which Mr. Achimugu blames on factors beyond the airlines’ control.
“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,” the director explained.
The director also announced that the authority would summon the CEOs of all airlines this week for a meeting addressing flight disruptions and regulatory issues.
