Flight cancellations/delays: NCAA set to sanction erring airlines

THE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned that it will begin publicly naming and shaming airlines that fail to comply with aviation regulations, particularly in cases of flight cancellations and delays.

Director of public affairs and Consumers Protection for the agency, Michael Achimugu, emphasised that passengers who are left stranded between 10:00 pm and 4:00 am due to cancelled or delayed flights are entitled to hotel accommodation at the airline’s expense.

Achimugu who declared this on his X handle Monday,  said the recent decision signals a more assertive regulatory approach aimed at improving accountability and passenger welfare in Nigeria’s aviation sector.

He noted that the NCAA’s decision follows outcries and a series of airport violence stemming from airlines’ lapses and non-adherence to regulations.

The authority has condemned a growing trend where airline staff disappear from terminals during disruptions, leaving NCAA Consumer Protection Officers to manage agitated passengers alone.

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

While acknowledging the operational difficulties facing airlines in Nigeria, the NCAA’s spokesman insisted that challenges do not excuse non-compliance with aviation regulations.

The authority therefore criticised the exposure of its staff to potentially dangerous situations, stressing that NCAA officials are only present to support both passengers and the airline industry.

To enforce compliance, the NCAA pledged strict adherence to its regulations and reiterated that it would not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law in cases that warranted sanctions.

Achimugu said this decisive action follows a directive from the Federal Government and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo.