The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed airlines to offer refreshments, hotel accommodation and rerouting options for passengers during flight disruptions.
This was contained in the communique issued at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the NCAA to address challenges arising from flight disruptions.
The communique was signed by the NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu.
The communique reads in part:
The meeting at the NCAA annex in Lagos included key players in the aviation sector, including Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and Capt. Chris Najomo, the Ag. Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Others are Mr. Allen Onyema, vice president of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and CEO of Air Peace; and representatives of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
The stakeholders at the meeting also agreed that sunset airports will extend their operational hours to 10 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.
The aviation authorities reached this agreement as part of the moves to address incidents of flight delays in airports without 24-hour operations.
This implies that sunset airports, which used to operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., will now extend to 10 p.m. This takes effect immediately for sunset airports with adequate lighting and facilities.
Daily Trust reports that the communique, issued at the end of the meeting, directed airlines to manage their flight schedules optimally and keep aircraft on standby to prevent delays.
The stakeholders also agreed that NIMET weather forecasts will be considered when scheduling flights.
Captain Najomo disclosed during the meeting that between September and October 2024, 5,225 flights were delayed, while 190 flights were cancelled, out of the 5,804 flights that were scheduled in both months.
Recall that some airlines were recently sanctioned for violating customer rights in cited instances that included delays in passenger refunds, mishandling of luggage, and other issues arising from flight cancellations and delays.
The NCAA also made it clear that customers who vent their frustration by vandalising airport facilities or assaulting airport staff will be arrested, made to pay for damages and possibly banned from future flights. To this end, the stakeholders agreed that mobile courts would be set up to address such incidents.
TimesNow.com.ng recently reported the full list of airlines and their flight cancellation records for 2024, showing that almost 50% of domestic flights experienced delays.
These flights were mostly cancelled due to operational challenges like air traffic congestion, technical issues, and weather challenges.
The top airlines responsible for these disruptions include Delta Airlines, Cronos, Uganda Air, Turkish Airlines, South African Airways, Air Peace, Kenya Airways, and Max Air.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
