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Chinedu Eze

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) under the new management headed by the acting Director General, Captain Chris Najomo, is making significant efforts to make airlines that operate in Nigeria serve travellers better and also make passenger understand their obligations to airlines.

At the Consumer Protection National Stakeholders Summit, organised by NCAA in Lagos, the National Association of Ni­geria Travel Agencies (NANTA) petitioned NCAA over sales of air tickets in foreign currencies by some foreign airlines in Nigeria. 

Travellers who attended the summit also pointed out issues they had with the airlines and urged that such issues should be identified and resolved, just as airlines have been told to comply with Part 19 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2023 in passenger compensation.

Participants at the summit observed that some foreign airlines had continually violated the Bilat­eral Air Service Agreement (BASA) arrangements signed with Nigeria by selling air tick­ets in foreign currencies.

However, apart from the United States carriers, which had Open Skies agreement with Nigeria that enables its carriers to sell tickets in dollars, other air­lines are required to sell tickets in naira for flights emanating from the country.

But overtime, some of the foreign carriers had consistent­ly violated this agreement with Nigeria, while no major punitive measures had been taken against them.

President of NANTA, Mr. Yinka Folami, who confirmed the development, said that NANTA had already peti­tioned NCAA on the violation, hoping that the regulatory agency would address the issue.

The Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, Mr. Michael Achimugu, confirmed the submission of the let­ter by NANTA, but said the issue would be addressed by the appro­priate department.

Since the period when Nigeria was unable to allow foreign airlines to repatriate their revenue due to scarcity of foreign currency, some foreign airlines have been tempted to sell their tickets in dollars, a behaviour, which travel agents have resisted, but some of the airlines find ways to force passengers pay for their tickets in foreign currency.

This has persisted, even after the federal government fully paid off the trapped funds, hence NANTA’s petition to NCAA, the regulatory authority.

Participants also observed that airlines hardly complied with Part 19 Nig.CARs which has to do with compensating the passengers when flights are either delayed, cancelled or overbooked.

A renowned lawyer and traveller, First Baba Isa, in his keynote address at the summit, regretted that airlines, both local and interna­tional have continually treated air travellers shabbily.

According to him, no fewer than seven cases of poor passen­ger handling, especially physical­ly challenged passengers, were being pursued in different courts across the country by his chambers.

He said: “Airlines should ad­dress the issue of refund to air travellers. There are no fewer than seven cases that I am attend­ing to in the courts against some local and foreign carriers espe­cially the poor way they handle disabled passengers.

“It is essential to make the airlines accountable to air pas­sengers in case of flight cancel­lations, delays and overbooking. Adequate compensations in line with the NCARs 2023 must be paid to the affected passengers.”

Also, the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Ibom Air, Mr. George Uriesi, in his presentation, canvassed for investment in hu­man capital through training, re-training, re-orientation and strict adherence to the industry recommended practices as set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Uriesi, who was represented by the Director, Airline Ser­vices, Ibom Air, Mrs. Amaka Echetabu, insisted that for technology to work seamlessly in the sector, human capital de­velopment must be taken with all the seriousness it deserved, adding that this would also boost tourism growth.

He added: “Collaboration and partnership among the chains of aviation practitioners is import­ant for industry growth. Consum­er complaints can be further re­solved through the adaptation of technology.”

During the summit, NCAA reiterated that if an operating air carrier (airline) places a passenger in a class lower than that for which the ticket was purchased, it shall immediately reimburse the difference to the passenger in accordance with the mode of payment within 30 days from the date of travel. 

This is in addition to 30 per cent of the price of the ticket for all domestic flights immediately and 50 per cent of the price of the ticket for all international flights within 14 days.

Assistant General Manager (AGM), Flight Operations and Adjudication, NCAA, Ifueko Abdulmalik, made this known while addressing participants at the summit.

For flight delays, the AGM said that according to Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation (Nig. CARs), 2023, Part 19, it stipulates that there should be information 30 minutes after the scheduled departure time and refreshments, telephone calls, SMS after two hours. 

She also emphasised that there should be reimbursement and re-routing when it is beyond three hours while hotel and transportation are to be provided at a time beyond 10 pm till 4 am, or at a time when the airport is closed at the point of departure or final destination. 

“Compensation is to be made after six hours for domestic flights and 4 hours for international flights.

“25 per cent of the fares or passenger ticket price for all flights within Nigeria. 30 per cent of the passenger ticket price for all international flights. When passengers are offered re-routing to their final destination on an alternative flight the arrival time of which does not exceed the scheduled arrival time of the flight originally booked: by one hour, in respect of all domestic flights; by three hours, in respect of all international flights, the operating airline may reduce the compensation provided for in by 50 per cent”, she said.

According to her, over the years, passengers have been faced with issues such as flight cancellations, delays, poor service, and inadequate compensation mechanisms. 

Abdulmalik however, affirmed that the Consumer Protection regulations offered a strong regulatory framework to provide consumers with better protection against such situations, ensuring their rights are respected. Inclusivity and Fairness:

“The aviation industry must be accessible to all segments of society, including people with disabilities, women, and marginalised groups. This includes equal air travel access and appropriate services for all passengers”, she added.

While ensuring that all stakeholders—airlines, passengers, and airport operators—are treated equitably, Abdulmalik pointed out that Consumer Protection Regulations are designed to ensure that consumers are treated with respect and transparency.

Echetabu, in her reaction to the interface between NCAA and the airlines, especially the Consumer Protection Directorate (CPD), said that it had been a smooth interface between the regulatory authority and Ibom Air, as far as passenger issues were concerned and insisted that they work well with NCAA to protect both passengers and airlines’ interest.