By Sade Williams
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has continued to intervene and assure passengers of safe and improved flight experience amid weather related flight disruptions.
Spokesperson for the NCAA, Michael Achimugu said on Thursday that the Authority will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring that passengers’ rights are protected.
Achimugu, who gave a scenario of his personal encounter with passengers at the airport on Thursday while trying to catch a flight at Abuja airport, said the passengers were really angry and threatening to become violent as the flight was delayed.
“I personally addressed them and engaged for about 20 minutes, explaining that I would confirm from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) if the weather was truly bad. I also explained that the airline does not have liability in the event of force majeure.
“Despite this, here are the measures I took: I insisted that the airline provide transportation back to Central area for all passengers, I personally paid for nearby accommodation at Peace Media Hotel for a few elderly passengers who looked too weak after the lengthy wait. The airline agreed to pay 50% compensation to the passengers and agreed to also refund those who sought a refund. I told the passengers that they could redeem that 50% by cash rather than rebate if they wanted.
” I opened my phone and let as many passengers as possible to scan the NCAA QR code for passengers complaints, and told them to contact me if the airline fails to resolve their complaints by tomorrow morning.
“I just announced two nights ago the initiation of enforcement action against five airlines. This will be the first time in more than 10 years that such action is being taken by the Consumer Protection Department of the NCAA. How can you say that nothing is being done by the Authority?”, he said.
Achimugu disclosed that he has written to NiMET to begin to send directly to his office, daily weather reports to enable him ascertain quickly if an airline lies about weather.
He disclosed further that tomorrow morning in Lagos, the Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo will cut short an important assignment to meet with all the Chief Executive Officers of domestic airlines in Nigeria, as parts of efforts to mitigate passengers ordeals during the period.
“Three days ago, I voted some money from my hard-earned salary to some indigent passengers owed refunds by a certain airline whose current situation is critical. I didn’t owe anybody such a courtesy, and it is not sustainable, but it simply shows that the NCAA under Capt. Najomo is humane.
“A lot of disruptions are not caused by the airlines. The solutions must be holistic, and my Honourable Minister, Mr Festus Keyamo has shown Sterling leadership by resolving the capacity problem that crippled the industry for years. Now, he is focusing on calibrating sunset airports with instrument landing systems, et al. That way, certain airports will not refuse to clear airlines after dark. He has broken the industry from the doldrums of decadence it was forced into. Be patient with him. The industry will not be perfect in just one year, but significant progress has been made.
11. No, it is not one particular airline. I am the one receiving the complaints, so I know better than most people do. Take, for instance, the day of the Allied aircraft crash landing. The runway was shut for 4 hours or so. Every airline had a 5-hour delay. On the 24th, I witnessed delay announcement from three airlines. I appreciate feedback and will continue to use same to improve the travel experience of passengers. Our passengers deserve better and will get what they deserve.”, he added.
