The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified that the recent sanctions imposed on five airlines were related to consumer protection infractions and not safety concerns.
Two weeks ago, the NCAA’s director of consumer protection and public affairs, Michael Achimugu warned that airlines delaying passenger refunds beyond the stipulated timeframe outlined in Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023 would face sanctions.
Subsequently, the regulatory agency announced enforcement actions against Royal Air Maroc, Ethiopian Airways, Air Peace, Arik Air and Aero Contractors.
In response to the sanctions, acting director-general of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo convened an emergency stakeholder meeting to address the persistent issues of flight delays and cancellations. He urged operators to scale their operations in line with the number of aircraft available and to handle consumer complaints with greater urgency.
Reacting to the sanctions, chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema acknowledged that delays in refund payments by some members of his finance team had occurred, which he found unacceptable. He stated that such practices do not align with his vision for the airline and pledged to improve the airline’s response time to customer complaints.
Despite the clarification, some media reports speculated that the sanctions might extend beyond issues of flight disruptions.
In a statement addressing these claims, Michael Achimugu reiterated that the enforcement actions were strictly related to consumer protection.
“Even the DGCA publicly announced at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos the names of the airlines and the reasons for the enforcement actions. My department handles consumer protection issues, not technical matters. So why would anyone think I can sanction an airline for safety reasons?” he questioned.
Achimugu further emphasised the department’s commitment to impartiality, stating, “We do not sensationalise serious issues. The department protects both operators and passengers and will continue to serve as an unbiased umpire.”
