The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has launched enforcement actions against five airlines, including two international and three domestic operators, for violating Part 19 of NCAA regulations.
The violations include issues such as non-payment of refunds within the stipulated time frame, lack of responsiveness to NCAA directives, and mishandling of luggage. Other issues include delayed and cancelled flights, missing luggage, and short-landed baggage.
NCAA spokesman Michael Achimugu, made the announcement at the Authority’s corporate headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday. He highlighted that while airlines are not always responsible for flight disruptions, NCAA regulations require them to take certain actions during such incidents. Failure to comply with these regulations leads to sanctions.
The NCAA had previously warned airlines to ensure that refunds for online ticket purchases are processed within 14 days, and immediate cash refunds are provided for tickets bought with cash. The recent yuletide season saw an increase in complaints from passengers regarding flight delays and cancellations. Achimugu clarified that many cancellations were due to poor visibility during the harmattan season, which is considered a force majeure event, and in such cases, airlines are not obligated to compensate passengers.
However, the enforcement actions are directed at situations where the airlines are deemed to be at fault for disruptions. Achimugu confirmed that further enforcement actions would follow.
To address these concerns and regulatory breaches, the NCAA plans to summon the chief executives of all airlines for a meeting later this week. While Achimugu did not specify which airlines were involved in the latest sanctions, sources revealed that the affected airlines are Ethiopian Airways, Royal Maroc Airways, Arik Air, Aero Contractors, and Air Peace.
