Irate passengers turn violent, NCAA holds emergency meeting with airlines today
- …NCAA seeks reports to ascertain carriers’ weather excuses
The swift intervention of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has averted what could have resulted in ugly situations at many of the country’s busy airports as airlines have engaged in flight delays and cancellations, leaving many passengers from reuniting with their loved ones.
While the carriers have attributed this ugly scenario to bad weather, others who are knowledgeable about domestic airline business have linked the problem to lack of capacity and shortage of aircraft to the issue as airlines overbooked passengers during the Yuletide.
A video of Air Peace had last week gone viral showing how over a hundred overbooked passengers shoved one another aside on the aircraft gangways to gain entry into the B737 aircraft; a testament to the precarious situation in the aviation/airline industry and one that raises safety concerns.
To stem this ugly situation, the Acting Director-General of the NCAA, Capt Chris Najomo has cut short his trip to attend to the situation.
Najomo has called for an emergency with all the airlines’ CEOs to be held on Friday to find a lasting solution to the ugly trend and one that has put air travel on the edge.
The agency said it has continued intervening and assured passengers of a safe and improved flight experience amid weather-related flight disruptions.
Spokesperson for the NCAA, Michael Achimugu said that NCAA will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring that passengers’ rights are protected.
Achimugu who disclosed this in his X handle stated that Najomo was cutting short an important assignment to meet with all the CEOs of domestic airlines in Nigeria on Friday, adding that this is proof that the authority cares.
Achimugu, who gave a scenario of his encounter with passengers at the airport on Thursday while trying to catch a flight at Abuja airport, said the passengers were irate and threatening to become violent as the flight was delayed.
“I 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 the Central area for all passengers, I 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 scan the NCAA QR code for passengers’ complaints, and told them to contact me if the airline failed 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 sending directly to his office, daily weather reports to enable him ascertain quickly if an airline is lying about the weather.
He disclosed further that Najomo will cut short an important assignment to meet with all the Chief Executive Officers of domestic airlines in Nigeria, as part 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.
“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 a 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.
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