2 days Ago By Guardian Nigeria
Out of the 10,804 flights operated in September and October 2024 by Nigerian airlines, no fewer than 5,415, representing 48 per cent of total flights, were either delayed or cancelled. This is as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has threatened to impose sanctions in compliance with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) 2022 (Consumer Protection) Regulations 2023. The Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation (ADGCA), Capt.
Chris Najomo, stated these during a meeting with indigenous airline operators at its office at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos. According to the statistics revealed by Najomo, about 5,225 of the flights were delayed, while another 190 were cancelled. For instance, in September, 5,291 domestic flights were operated by the airlines, with 2,434 delays and 79 cancellations.
In October, 5,513 flights were operated with 2,791 delays and 111 cancellations among the domestic operators. He, however, said that various issues lead to flight delays and cancellations among airlines globally but attributed most delays and cancellations among the nation’s carriers to poor management and planning. Some causes of flight delays and cancellations are operational, technical, V.
I.P. movements or weather-related issues like harmattan.
He also acknowledged the challenges faced by airlines, including infrastructural limitations and operational constraints, but declared that these challenges should not come at the expense of the passengers. Najomo lamented that flight delays and cancellations have imposed huge discomforts on passengers, businesses, the credibility of the aviation industry and national development as a whole. Najomo insisted that it behooves the airlines to ensure that every disruption is handled well and with the utmost professionalism and respect for passengers’ rights.
He insisted that the NCARs on Consumer Protection were not optional but mandatory obligations. He restated that the regulations ensured that passengers were promptly informed of schedule changes, delays or cancellations, accommodation, refreshments, alternative travel arrangements and other compensations, depending on the length of the delays. “Today, I wish to address a matter of increasing concern to our industry.
Flight disruptions, delays and significant changes to schedules and cancellations in Nigeria have far-reaching implications for passengers, businesses, the credibility of the aviation industry and National development as a whole. “It is the responsibility of airlines to ensure that every disruption, whether due to operational, technical, or weather-related challenges, is handled with the utmost professionalism and regard for passengers’ rights, mainly as we are in the Harmattan season with poor weather conditions; that will affect flight operations. “Adequate compensation is provided where applicable.
Non-compliance with these regulations will not be tolerated, and from now on, the NCAA will not hesitate to impose the necessary penalties where violations are observed. I have instructed my team to monitor and enforce compliance and apply sanctions. “My team has engaged the industry in the last year by organising awareness, sensitisation and training sessions for the airlines and the association of travel agents to re-educate them on the provisions of the Nigeria Civil Aviation regulations and airline obligations to passengers in the event of disruptions.
” He expressed that the airlines must invest in robust operational systems that minimise avoidable delays, ensure transparency in communication with passengers during disruptions and strengthen contingency plans for emergencies or unforeseen circumstances. Najomo further reiterated the commitment of the apex regulatory body in civil aviation in Nigeria to supporting airlines in overcoming operational challenges by identifying the root causes of delays and cancellations and to implement sustainable solutions. He, however, said this must be based on a mutual commitment to improving service delivery and upholding industry standards.
Recently, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, Michael Achimugu, issued a stern warning to defaulting airlines, threatening that the agency would carry out sanctions in compliance with the rules. Achimugu had also, last month, vowed to implement the letter Part 19 of the NCARs to guide against passengers’ delayed luggage and other violations by airlines. In compliance with the NCARs, the regulatory agency is imposing fines of $170 and N10,000 on foreign and local airlines for delayed passengers’ luggage as a first measure.
He also said that such delayed luggage must be delivered to the affected passenger on international routes within 21 days, while for local flights, it must be delivered within seven days. He had said: “The little things about the regulations that the passengers need to know, for instance, if you arrive at an airport and your luggage didn’t arrive with you, most passengers do not see that they have a right to demand compensation from the airlines. “If it is a domestic flight, you can walk to the airline’s counter to demand your N10,000 for not bringing your bag.
For international flights, it is $170. A lot of passengers do not know this thing, but today, we are bringing an end to that circle of ignorance. We are bringing the regulations to Nigerians in an exciting manner.
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