NCAA threatens sanctions against domestic airline operators over flight delays, disruptions

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Sunday, threatened to sanction domestic airline operators, as it expressed displeasure over the alarming reports of incessant delays, flight disruptions, and schedule changes without adequate notice to passengers.

This was contained in a statement, Sunday evening, signed by its Acting Director General, Capt. Chris Najomo, in Abuja.

Najomo said errant airlines will be sanctioned appropriately without fear or favor, stressing that NCAA has stepped up its surveillance to monitor compliance with a view to fish out violators.

The NCAA acting DG also reiterated the need for airlines to improve their services as the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, is determined to enforce his five point agenda as mandated by the president.

Najomo stated that the current record of flight disruptions, poor customer experience and poor handling of passengers is unacceptable and must be improved upon.

According to him, airlines must rejig their flight schedule to match their number of serviceable aircraft and that airlines are all aware of the airports which have sunset operations.

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He further stated that airlines must consider scheduling flights into sunset airports early in the day so as to minimize cancellations as a result of airport closure at sunset.

Furthermore, Najomo stressed that the NCAA will ensure that airlines fulfill their obligations to passengers or face sanctions.

“Airlines must handle persons with reduced mobility properly, with dignity and without discrimination as airlines are mandated to provide facilities for the movement of persons with reduced mobility and by virtue of the provisions of Nigeria Civil aviation regulations part 19, airlines are required to provide on their ticket portal a mandatory field for special needs assistance and require their agents to actively ask customers during ticket purchase if they will require assistance” he reiterated.

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