NCAA Summons 13 Airlines Over Flight Delays, Cancellations

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has summoned 13 domestic airlines to an emergency meeting over rising flight cancellations and delays that have left passengers stranded across the country.

The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja, was confirmed by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, via his X handle on Tuesday.

According to Achimugu, the move became necessary following mounting complaints from passengers and a disturbing rise in unruly behaviour at airports. He noted that many incidents stem from poor airline adherence to aviation regulations.

“Some of these behaviours are caused by passengers’ ignorance of aviation rules, while others are the result of airlines’ deliberate attempts to circumvent regulations and deprive passengers of their rights,” Achimugu said.

He explained that the agenda will cover persistent delays and cancellations, passenger handling protocols, refund and compensation complaints, welfare obligations, crew protection, and the planned rollout of RFID baggage tagging and real-time flight monitoring technology.

The NCAA stressed that domestic airlines must comply with Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, which mandates hotel accommodation for stranded passengers between 10:00pm and 4:00am.

Warning that “the era of leniency is over,” Achimugu said airlines that consistently violate regulations would be named, shamed, and sanctioned.

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

He, however, acknowledged that while domestic carriers face operational challenges, they must meet global standards if they wish to be considered world-class operators.