The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has cautioned domestic airlines against recurring flight delays and poor treatment of passengers, warning that continued breaches of consumer protection rules will attract penalties.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Mr Michael Achimugu, issued the warning in a statement shared on X on Tuesday, following an enforcement inspection of airline operations in Abuja.
Officials of the authority visited the Abuja offices of Xejet, Rano Air and United Nigeria Airlines on Monday, where they observed lapses in how passengers were handled during flight disruptions.
Achimugu said airlines frequently failed to give passengers accurate and timely updates during delays and often avoided providing light refreshments after two hours, as required by regulations.
“We have observed that most airlines do not provide timely, honest information, and that they try to evade the provision of light refreshments two hours into a delay, as stipulated by Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023,” he said.
Describing the practice as unacceptable, he stressed that airlines must respect passenger rights, especially during the busy December travel season.
“While we understand the unique challenges of December per flight disruptions, airlines must provide the necessary care for passengers at a time like this,” Achimugu said.
He noted that the warning extended beyond the airlines inspected, adding that the authority had issued an ultimatum to all domestic operators.
“The NCAA finds this unacceptable and has given an ultimatum to the airlines. We are watching, and action will be taken where necessary,” he added.
Achimugu said the inspections formed part of broader efforts by the authority to enforce compliance with consumer protection standards during periods of high passenger traffic.
