The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered Air Peace to compensate passengers affected by a delay on a scheduled flight from Lagos to Enugu on Monday, September 21.
NCAA stated this through its Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu.
Achimugu made the disclosure while responding to human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who had, in a post on X, complained about the delay of his flight from Lagos to Enugu. He said the Air Peace flight, initially scheduled for 6:45 AM, was delayed until 4:50 PM.
Effiong, who lamented that the delay made him miss a scheduled court appearance in Enugu on Monday, accused the airline of irresponsibility and impunity.
“I am scheduled to appear in court in Enugu State this morning for a case that is slated for definite hearing,” Mr Effiong stated in a post on X.
“I woke up by 4:30 AM and got to MM1 at about 5:50 AM, hoping to join the 6:45 AM flight with Air Peace. I already checked in last night.”
Effiong said he became suspicious when Air Peace staff called for only passengers who were supposed to fly to Enugu and Owerri on Sunday, while passengers scheduled to fly on Monday morning were asked to wait.
“Apparently, they cancelled yesterday’s flight to Enugu,” he said, adding that the airline kept them in the queue at the counter for about an hour before their staff came and informed them that the flight had been delayed till 4:50 PM.
The human rights lawyer said he had already checked in for the flight last night and received a second reminder sent by Air Peace to passengers at 2 AM even when the flight was not going to depart as scheduled.
He alleged that the airline has continued with “poor service delivery” despite complaints by passengers, and accused the aviation industry regulators of being “complicit” in what he described as the “impunity of Air Peace.”
“My client’s fate is now uncertain because of the irresponsibility of Air Peace.
“I met two learned colleagues who were equally billed to travel on the same flight. One of them also has a hearing this morning in Enugu.”
Responding, Achimugu said NCAA’s preliminary investigation found that the messages informing passengers to come to the airport for the flight was done in error by the airline. He said passengers on the flight should have been notified about the reschedule and that the airline management has admitted the error.
“We have asked that the airline, in compliance with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023, come up with a compensation package for affected passengers and let us know in good time,” Achimugu stated.
While stating that it was an unfortunate incident, Achimugu stressed the need for timely and honest information to prevent such a situation.
He said that while the NCAA protects the rights of operators, the agency holds all stakeholders accountable and, in this case, ensures that the interest of consumers is protected.
He explained that the way regulations work in the case of a flight disruption is that the airline can only be sanctioned if it fails to provide compensation and care to affected passengers.
“If the duty is not done, then there will be heavy sanctions imposed for this incident,” he added.
READ ALSO:
- NCAA Urges Aviation Unions to End Strike, Assures Passengers of Flight Safety
- NCAA Suspends ‘No Pay, No Service’ Action Against 11 Airlines Over Debt
- Tinubu’s Capital Spending Puzzle: Why ₦3.85trn in Project Funds Failed to Reach Projects
- Diversifying Nigeria’s Economy Starts with Agriculture – Prof Utomi
According to him, flight disruption can happen anytime for various reasons, including safety issues, but what is critical when it is the fault of the airline is “how is it managed? How does it treat passengers? What steps are taken to mitigate the inconveniences, according to the regulations.”
He emphasised that providing timely and honest information in such situations is very important and is one area where many airline operators are found wanting.
He clarified that NCAA follows laid-down rules in applying sanctions where there is flight disruption, stressing that it is not an automatic response.
While empathizing with Effiong and other affected passengers over the experience, he maintained that they should not have been told to come to the airport for a flight that was not going to operate.
“The standard protocol would be to inform today’s passengers about the reschedule. This would have prevented passengers from coming to the airport for a flight that was not going to operate.”
He, however, dismissed Effiong’s claim that NCAA is incapable of regulating the activities of the airlines, stating that the agency does not treat cases in advance.
He said when a flight disruption occurs and the airline fails to do the needful, it is the duty of passengers to report to NCAA, which will then take the matter up.
“The NCAA cannot treat cases in advance. It is not a miracle centre and cannot tell that a disruption would happen BEFORE it happens.
“When it does happen, you report to the NCAA. What we do with your report is what you may be free to declare the Authority as incapable or otherwise,” he stated.
He maintained that what President Tinubu and Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, have been doing is to support domestic airlines to succeed and not that the government is doing nothing to address unfair practices against passengers.
He urged Air Peace to have a buffer aircraft to mitigate disruptions, especially when they occur repeatedly.
Victor Ezeja is a Nigerian journalist skilled in producing insightful news analyses, feature stories, and interviews that simplify complex issues and drive informed public discourse. His work combines rigorous research, balanced reporting, and compelling storytelling to highlight developments shaping industries and society. Victor, who holds a Master's Degree in Mass Communication, specializes in energy, aviation, business, and economic reporting. He can be reached via @VICTOREZEJA on X