NCAA meets 13 domestic airlines over flight disruptions

Stakeholders in the aviation sector have described the proposed meeting of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) with the domestic airlines as timely and welcome to address recent issues of flight operations and the growing complaints by passengers. However, the summon is causing disquiet in the industry with airlines insisting that the major causes of […]

Stakeholders in the aviation sector have described the proposed meeting of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) with the domestic airlines as timely and welcome to address recent issues of flight operations and the growing complaints by passengers.

However, the summon is causing disquiet in the industry with airlines insisting that the major causes of flight disruptions were not within the purview of the airlines.

Director of Public Relations and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu on his verified X handle confirmed the meeting with all the 13 domestic carriers.

This is coming barely 24 hours after Achimugu made a post on his X page that the regulatory authority would begin to name and shame airlines which are in the habit of delaying and canceling flights without taking care of the passengers’ welfare as stipulated in Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.

Daily Trust reports that the aviation industry has been under intense scrutiny in the recent past over cases of unruly behaviour by passengers.

In a post on Tuesday, Achimugu said, “The NCAA has invited all domestic airlines to a meeting in Abuja slated for tomorrow, Wednesday.”

He stated that among the issues to be addressed are “ Unruly passenger behaviour and passenger handling protocols; Unresolved refund/compensation issues; Introduction of RFID bag tags and flight monitoring technology; Enforcement of phone switch-off instruction and protection for cabin crew as well as Improved travel experience for passengers.”

 

Passengers, airlines’ tango

Daily Trust reports that over time there has been an unending battle between airlines and passengers over flight delays and cancellations; a development triggering unruly passengers’ conduct.

However, the industry has recently been unanimous in tackling unruly conduct by passengers after the two recent incidents involving King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM1) also known as K1 De Ultimate during a flight on ValueJet and another passenger on Ibom Air, Ms. Comfort Emmanson. Both incidents generated hues and cries, resorting to what stakeholders called “political solutions” to handle the two cases following the involvement of KWAM1 who is believed to be connected with the “presidency.”

However some stakeholders believe the two cases had brought to the consciousness of members of the flying public the imperative of playing by the rules and conducting themselves in a civilised manner when dealing with airline officials whether before, during or after a flight.

But while passengers have their responsibility, airlines are also obligated to deal with passengers fairly and justly while moving them from Point A to B.

The NCAA spokesperson had earlier on Monday raged over some airlines maltreating passengers by delaying or cancelling flights at odd hours without adequately compensating the passengers.

Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 (as amended) which deals with passengers’ rights and responsibilities explicitly made provision for dealing with passengers especially in cases of flights delays and cancellations.

Achimugu said the authority had the mandate of the federal government “to begin naming and shaming” airlines that delay and cancel flights especially at odd hours.

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

Achimugu explained that if an airline has kept passengers at the terminal up to 00hrs before cancelling a flight, the airline owes the passengers hotel accommodation.

He wrote: “The regulations stipulate that passengers stranded between the hours of 2200 and 0400 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?”

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

“For infractions that are sanctionable, the Authority will apply the fullest measures possible. We will not abandon the letters of our regulations.

“The federal government has instructed that airlines be named and shamed by the NCAA. While we have done our best to advise per solutions to flight disruptions and why not nearly all cases are the fault of the airlines, the NCAA expects that operators must comply with the regulations in the event of a disruption.”

Over time issues of flight delays and cancellations have become a recurring decimal in the industry. All the 13 domestic carriers including Arik Air, Air Peace, Ibom Air, Overland, Max Air, Rano Air, ValueJet, Green Africa, Xejet, ValueJet, Aero Contractors, have been found guilty of either delaying or cancelling flights.

For instance in 2024, domestic airlines had 1,189 cancellations and 38,061 delays raising concerns about efficiency of operations by the airlines. The delays and cancellations triggered tensions around the airports resulting in fisticuffs. Also, cases of refunds for passengers over cancelled flights have also pitted passengers against the airlines.

The meeting by the NCAA was therefore called to iron out issues causing the delays while at the same time proffer solutions to mitigate the crisis.

Aviation analyst, Olumide Ohunayo in a chat with our correspondent said, “If passengers will be sanctioned for bad behavior, airlines should also be sanctioned for bad behavior. The rule is the same world over. Nigeria cannot be different. And I’m sure the CAA (civil aviation authority) is for the first time we can see improvement in the methodology of handling consumer protection issues.

“Maybe because he was a former director in that directorate, he has seen it. And now there’s this use of IT technology, awareness creation, and they’re bringing to spotlight all issues relating to passengers’ comfort, discomfort, and problems.”

Aviation Consultant, Capt. Samuel Caulcrick stated that passengers were the reason behind the existence of airlines, agencies and other operators in the industry and so they deserve to be treated fairly.

“From the time a  passenger buys a ticket, they are the only source of revenue for the industry. It’s the passenger now. There is no other source.

Nobody is putting money in. Airlines don’t put money in. Airlines are just recovering costs. So, they are a major stakeholder.

In fact, they are the chief stakeholders. Because after buying a ticket, you ask them to pay five per cent of their ticket again to fund NCA, to fund all the other parastatals, this same passengers alone

If the passengers don’t buy tickets, where will the airlines get money? They will be out of business.”

He said if the industry had dealt with the unruly passengers which he put at about three per cent, the remaining 97 per cent that are not unruly must be protected.

However, he pointed out that the NCAA must also examine the role of other agencies providing services to the airlines.

But you see, they (airlines) are not responsible for all the delays, though. So, what happens if the delay is due to NIMET (Nigeria Meteorological Agency) or the delay is due to ATC (Air Traffic Control), that is NAMA.  You know, we need to put our house in order. The ATC has to be more efficient in the utilization of the runways. Gatwick is the most efficient runway in the world. They carry 52 million people from only one runway. Lagos has two runways. How many do they carry?

Another analyst, Group Capt. John Ojikutu said, “NCAA should issue directives to the airlines for their necessary compliance to the appropriate regulations and sanctions for noncompliance. If the NCAA continues with this paddy-paddy manner with the Airlines, it could become its complicity in the acts of the airlines. Making what is under its regulations oversight a public knowledge is an indictment of its responsibility on the regulations enforcement.”

 

Delays, cancellations not mostly caused by airlines – Operator

Chief Executive of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi in a chat with our correspondent stated that the issue should be addressed from its root and not scratching the surface.

If the delay is not caused by the airlines but the airport authority due to congestion, what happens? Or the delay is caused by weather, what happens? Or if the particular passenger disruption was not caused by airlines but something different? I don’t think we should be using Solution A to answer question B. we should address every problem based on the facts available, not going all  over the place because we want to address the problem.

“The root cause of the problem is known. The airlines are operating in a very harsh environment, the passengers are also subjecting themselves not to a good service. So we should address the root cause, not the symptom.”