Flight Delays: NCAA summons Air Peace over travellers’ frustrations, restates sanctions against erring airlines

*Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, restates if an airline fails to process travellers’ ticket refund over flight cancellations within two weeks sanctions will follow

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has restated its commitment to safeguarding consumer rights.

The NCAA said air passengers are entitled to ticket refunds within 14 days of flight cancellations, in accordance with its extant consumer protection regulations in the West African country.

ConsumerConnect reports Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at NCAA, who stated this while featuring on a Channels TV programme at the weekend, stressed the aviation regulator remains committed to safeguarding passenger rights in Nigeria.

Achimugu explained: “For refund of tickets not purchased by cash, an airline has 14 days to pay.

“If the airline fails to process within the stipulated timeframe, sanctions will follow.”

The Authority’s rejoinder was said to have come amid the growing public complaints over frequent flight delays and cancellations in recent times.

Acknowledging the volume of complaints, Achimugu, however, asserted that airlines are responsible for all flight disruptions in the aviation sector of the economy.

The NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection further said: “Air Peace operates more flights than probably all other domestic airlines combined.

“Naturally, their disruption rate is higher.

“However, the NCAA has a duty to hold them accountable where they are at fault.”

Why airlines record flight cancellations, by Achimugu

Expatiating on the rationale for most flight cancellations, Achimugu stated that the NCAA has advised operators to reduce the number of routes when aircraft availability is limited, rather than overselling tickets for flights they may not be able to honour.

He explained: “If you are operating five aircraft and two develop faults, then you must reduce the number of flights for that day.

“Do not sell tickets to destinations you might not fly.”

The Director as well warned that airlines failing to adjust their operations accordingly, or repeatedly breaching consumer protection regulations would face stiffer penalties in 2025.

It is recalled that the NCAA Friday, May 2, summoned Air Peace over  the domestic airline’s flight delays and cancellations that have continued to inconvenience several  passengers in recent times.

Achimugu, in a statement, noted Captain Chris Najomo, Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), met with the Senior Management team of the firm at NCAA Headquarters, in Abuja, FCT.

Najomo stated: “The NCAA has received several complaints of chronic flight cancellations and delays. This must be addressed without delay.

“We will continue to support the airlines, but operators must comply with regulations and global best practices.”

The Director-General urged Air Peace to align its operations with the company’s available fleet to avoid further service disruptions for consumers.

The NCAA Chief also disclosed the aviation regulatory agency would intensify surveillance across Nigerian airlines to enforce compliance.

Reasons we cancel scheduled flights, by Air Peace

Responding to the regulator’s enquiry at the meeting in Abuja, Air Peace defended its operational decisions, stressing that safety—not profit—remains its priority.

The aviation company reportedly said: “At Air Peace, safety is and will always remain our cardinal priority.

“We do not cancel flights for fun. These delays and cancellations are dictated by safety considerations.”

Though the aviation firm acknowledges passengers’ frustrations over flight cancellations, it stated that it would rather inconvenience passengers than compromise safety in the country’s airspace.

Air Peace said: “If weather conditions, technical parameters, or operational standards fall short of what is safe, we will not operate that flight.”

Refuting the suggestion on aircraft availability, the firm also clarified that it has more aircraft than required for its daily operations, noting that it is not overstretching its resources.

Introduction of Passenger Information Portal

Meanwhile, the NCAA said it had moved to streamline the handling of consumer complaints with the introduction of a centralised Passenger Information Portal.

According to the regulator, the platform is designed to address issues related to flight delays, cancellations, and other service lapses.

Achimugu said: “We onboarded all domestic and international airlines and our Consumer Protection Officers at airport terminals onto the portal.

“Passengers can submit complaints directly, which are then forwarded to the relevant airlines.”

The portal, Achimugu noted, provides real-time tracking of complaint resolution progress, including the number of cases resolved, pending, or delayed.

He stated: “The system ensures that as soon as a complaint is submitted, the countdown for resolution begins.

“This has made enforcement and monitoring more effective.”

Reiterating passenger rights in the aviation sector, the NCAA urged air travellers to take responsibility for their travel conduct.

The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection said: “Many passengers arrive late for check-in or fail to use online check-in, leading to disruptions.

“There must be a shared responsibility. We’ve stepped up awareness campaigns, and recorded the highest ticket refunds and compensations in 2024.”

Weather-related disruptions fall under “force majeure” and do not place liability on airlines, said he.

The Director asserted: “You can’t punish an airline for bad weather.

“Passengers must understand that delays in such cases are for their own safety.”

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