Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned domestic airlines over persistent flight delays, cancellations, and other disruptions.
 
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, Mr Michael Achimugu, disclosed this yesterday in his verified media handle.
 
According to Achimugu, the meeting between the NCAA and the airline will be held today in Abuja.
 
Achimugu, in the post, said: “The NCAA has invited all domestic airlines to a meeting in Abuja slated for tomorrow, Wednesday.”
 
Apart from flight delays and cancellations, Achimugu also said the issues of unruly passenger behaviour and passenger handling protocols, unresolved refund/compensation, introduction of RFID bag tags and flight monitoring technology, enforcement of phone switch-off instruction and protection for cabin crew, as well as improved travel experience for passengers would also be discussed. 
 
Earlier on Monday, Achimugu had said the authority had the mandate of the Federal Government “to begin naming and shaming” airlines that delay and cancel flights, especially at odd hours, without providing the right comfort for the stranded passengers as stipulated by the regulations. 
 
According to him, when airlines cancel flights without taking care of the welfare of passengers, they expose the NCAA’s consumer protection officers to danger. 
 
Achimugu explained that if the airline had kept passengers at the terminal up to 00hrs before cancelling a flight, the airline owed the passengers hotel accommodation. 
 
He stated: “The regulations stipulate that passengers stranded between the hours of 2200 and 0400 be given accommodation. 
 
“The situation where airline staff intentionally disappear, leaving NCAA Consumer Protection Officers to handle justifiably irate and frustrated passengers, will no longer be tolerated. 
 
“While one understands the challenges that operators face in our peculiar operating environment, whoever willfully ventures into a business and wants to remain in it must do it well.”

He reiterated that the airline should stop exposing NCAA officials “to avoidable risk when all they do is support your business and protect your rights.” 
 
According to him, the Federal Government had instructed that airlines be named and shamed by the NCAA.