The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has initiated
enforcement action against five airlines, comprising two international and
three domestic operators, for violating Part 19 of NCAA Regulations of 2023.
NCAA said the violations include failure to refund
passengers within the stipulated timeframe, non-responsiveness to authority’s
directives, incidents of missing and manhandled luggage, short-landed baggage,
and issues relating to flight delays and cancellations.
Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s director of public affairs and
consumer protection, confirmed it to TheCable on Tuesday.
Although Achimugu did not reveal the names of the sanctioned
airlines, he explained that while airlines are not always at fault for flight
disruptions, NCAA regulations mandate specific actions they must take during
such instances.
He said failure to adhere to the directives results in
varying levels of penalties.
The director noted the surge in passenger complaints about
delays and cancellations during the festive season, attributing some
disruptions to harmattan-related poor visibility.
“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,” Achimugu said.
He added that the NCAA would summon the chief executive
officers (CEOs) of all airlines this week for a meeting to address flight
disruptions and regulatory breaches.
On December 10, the NCAA said it will sanction airlines for
delayed ticket refunds.
The authority said airlines must strictly adhere to refund
timelines as stipulated under Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations of 2023, which
seeks to safeguard passenger rights.
According to the NCAA, cash purchases must be refunded
immediately, and by cash while refunds for electronic payments, including
mobile apps and internet banking must occur within 14 days.
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