– Passenger welfare is now a top priority for airlines during delays and cancellations.
– Flight disruptions between 10pm and 4am must be accompanied by hotel accommodation.
– Airline accountability will be enforced through naming and shaming of non-compliant operators.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that airlines are required to provide hotel accommodations for passengers stranded due to flight cancellations or delays between 10pm and 4am.
NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, warned that airline staff can no longer disappear, leaving NCAA officials to manage frustrated passengers.
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“The situation where airline staff intentionally disappear, leaving NCAA Consumer Protection Officers to handle justifiably irate and frustrated passengers will no longer be tolerated,” Achimugu said.
He added that the federal government has instructed the NCAA to publicly name and shame airlines that fail to comply with aviation regulations.
“If an airline has kept passengers at the terminal up to 00 hours before cancelling a flight, they owe their passengers hotel accommodation,” Achimugu emphasized.
The director urged airlines to uphold standards and take pride in their operations:
“We must not always choose the easy way out. Don’t you want to be called ‘world class’? Don’t you want to compete at the highest level? If not for the sake of the passengers who trust you to safely fly them, what about for your own pride?”
He reiterated that NCAA would enforce regulations strictly for all sanctionable infractions:
“For sanctionable infractions, the Authority will apply the fullest measures possible. We will not abandon the letters of our regulations. You cannot expose NCAA officials to avoidable risk when all they do is support your business and protect your rights.”
The directive, aligned with instructions from the federal government and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, is designed to enhance airline customer service and ensure accountability.
“While we have done our best to advise on solutions to flight disruptions and why nearly all cases are the fault of the airlines, the NCAA expects that operators must comply with the regulations in the event of a disruption. In compliance with the directives… the naming and shaming will commence,” Achimugu stated.
The NCAA expects airlines to prioritise passenger welfare and comply with regulations to avoid sanctions, reinforcing a commitment to safe and professional air travel.
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