From Our Correspondent
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has imposed sanctions on five airlines over alleged violations of aviation regulations.
TheNewsZenith reports that the affected airlines are Aero Contractors, Air Peace, Arik Air, Ethiopian Airlines and Royal Air Maroc.
NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, announced the sanction in a statement over the weekend.
Achimugu stated that the regulatory agency applied the sanctions in line with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.
“The infractions ranged from failure to refund passengers within the stipulated time to non-responsiveness and regulatory directives.
“Others are incidents of missing and mishandled luggage, short-landed baggage and recurrent issues with flight delays and cancellations,” the statement read in part.
TheNewsZenith reports that the sanctions, announced on Dec. 24, marked the first time that the NCAA’s Consumer Protection Department has taken enforcement action against airlines.
Acting Director-General of NCAA, Chris Najomo, said that the authority would not tolerate non-compliance.
Najomo, who spoke during a stakeholders’ meeting on Friday, advised airlines to streamline their schedules to avoid disruptions.
“This is a clear signal that the NCAA is serious about protecting passengers’ rights and ensuring airline accountability,” he said.
The DG also warned airlines against neglecting official communications. He reiterated the authority’s commitment to stricter enforcement measures in the future.
Read Related News:
- Video: CAS tasks officers on enhanced NAF safety culture
- Passenger plane skids off runway in Pakistani
- Aviation workers disrupt flights in Lagos
- Antisemitic riot in Russia over arrival of plane from Israel
- FG to complete aeronautical information management project in 2023 – Minister
One of Nigeria’s leading domestic carriers, Air Peace, accepted the sanctions and admitted to certain lapses.
Allen Onyema, the airline’s chairman, acknowledged the infractions during the stakeholders’ meeting and pledged to improve compliance.
“I am glad that this has happened. I have warned my team. This shows that the NCAA knows what they are doing.
“I will always acknowledge it where the fault is ours,” TheNewsZenith quotes Onyema as stating.
Similarly, Ethiopian Airlines requested further engagement with the NCAA and promised to submit a compliance report.
NCAA’s spokesman, Achimugu, also confirmed that the Ethiopian Airline expressed readiness to comply with the regulations. He added that the airline had already resolved some reported cases.
“Airlines have not been behaving perfectly all these years,” Achimugu remarked. “This action sets a new standard for accountability in the aviation sector.”
He noted that the sanctions demonstrate the NCAA’s renewed commitment to protecting passengers’ rights. It is also to ensure operational excellence in the aviation industry.
Meanwhile, as airlines adjust to these enforcement actions, the NCAA pledged its dedication to improving the overall passenger experience.
The authority urged operators to take necessary steps to prevent disruptions and enhance service delivery, warning that further non-compliance would attract harsher penalties.
Do you have a flair for Citizenship Journalism? Share stories of happenings in your area with TheNewsZenith on WhatsApp: +2348033668669. For more scintillating news, visit our website: www.thenewszenith.com or follow us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thenewszenithOnline, Facebook: www.facebook.com/@thenewszenith.com & Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@thenewszenithonline