The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed all airlines to provide hotel accommodation for passengers stranded between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. due to flight delays or cancellations.
The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, disclosed this in a statement, stressing that the Authority will no longer tolerate a situation where passengers are left unattended by airlines staff during disruptions. He said it was unacceptable for airlines officials to abandon travellers in the hands of NCAA Consumer Protection Officers, who are often left to manage tense situations alone.
To strengthen compliance, the federal government has instructed the NCAA to begin a “name-and-shame” campaign, publicly identifying airlines that fail to meet their obligations to passengers. Achimugu warned that while the regulator acknowledges the operational difficulties faced by domestic carriers, failure to comply with passenger protection rules will attract strict sanctions.
“The NCAA is committed to enforcing world-class standards in Nigeria’s aviation sector. Airlines must ensure that passengers are not subjected to unnecessary hardship, especially during overnight delays,” he said.
The Authority also cautioned that its officials must not be placed at risk while carrying out their duties, adding that any airline that disregards consumer rights will face the full weight of regulatory penalties.
