NCAA targets more airlines for consumer protection breaches

• Published On: 05 January 2025 at 17:05

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has announced plans to sanction more airlines for violating consumer protection regulations.

This follows recent actions against carriers for unresolved complaints and regulatory violations, indicating a more stringent enforcement of passenger rights and industry regulations.

The NCAA's Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, made the announcement on Sunday, according to The Punch.

"More airlines will be sanctioned shortly for similar offences. It is currently with the legal department and is awaiting signature by the DG," he revealed.

He did, however, clarify that "what has been announced is not the sanction itself, but the initiation of the enforcement action."

He went on to say, "There is a process to it. It is my responsibility to initiate these sanctions. Then we escalate to the legal department. The legal department looks at it to ensure that we have no legal liabilities and that we are in compliance with the specific sanctions that I have listed, correct? Then the DG will sign it. It becomes an enforcement action only after the DG signs it.

Speaking about the agency's recent actions against five airlines, Achimugu stated that many of the sanctioned carriers have begun to respond to the enforcement measures.

"I have summoned Royal Air Maroc to come to the office." Of course, Air Peace heard the chairman acknowledge and accept the sanctions. Aero has called in to inform us that they have already treated seven of the eleven cases for which they are being sanctioned," he stated.

He also reported progress with other airlines. "Ethiopian Airlines has written in to confirm that they have resolved the cases for which we sanctioned them. However, I have asked them to submit a compliance report that will show whether they resolved those cases before or after we announced the sanctions. Arik has also written in to say that their legal team is looking into it.

However, Achimugu stressed that the enforcement process will continue for any unresolved infractions.

"Even those who have stated, 'Look, we have resolved this number out of the entire list,' this implies that there are still some unresolved issues. "They will still face sanctions for those," he said.

Meanwhile, Achimugu clarified that failing to respond to NCAA correspondence is considered a sanctionable infraction.

"In any case, some of the infractions include failing to respond to NCAA correspondence, which is a sanctionable infraction. So they will undoubtedly face consequences for their actions," he stated.

He also mentioned that the NCAA's actions appear to be producing positive results.

"They are trying a lot of new things. Since the announcement, people have been receiving prompt and express refunds. So it's producing the results we expected, and we'll keep doing more," Achimugu added.