Yuletide: NCAA assures air travelers of uninterrupted operations

As the festive season approaches, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has assured air travelers of uninterrupted flight operations during the Yuletide period.

This assurance was given during a roadshow and sensitization campaign held at the Port Harcourt International Airport. The event was organized by the Consumer Protection Directorate of the NCAA to educate air travelers on how to properly file complaints regarding any disruptions they may encounter.

The regulatory agency attributed the expected smooth operations to the recent signing of the Cape Town Convention Practice Direction by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, as well as the approval for ten additional aircraft to enter the country, which will enhance the fleet capacity for air operations.

Michael Achimugu, the Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs at the NCAA, who led the roadshow team, stated that the organization is committed to ensuring that air operations remain uninterrupted during the 2024 festive season and beyond.

Achimugu noted that many travelers are unaware that they should report violations of their rights or disruptions in their travel plans to the NCAA. He emphasized that the purpose of the sensitization campaign and roadshow was to empower air passengers to understand their rights and responsibilities.

According to Achimugu: “We are now in the high travel season in the aviation sector and as you know there has been a lot of flight disruptions over the years and there has been a lot of complaints as regards to that.

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“Our duty at the NCAA is to sensitize our passengers, because most of the times when complains come about these disruptions it comes from the place of poor knowledge about their rights and responsibilities as air passengers.

“Our duty in the air consumer Protection Department of the NCAA is to protect both the passenger and the airlines as businesses. They are all our stakeholders. We cannot blame passengers for what they do not know. So we are creating mass awareness. It will continue throughout next year. A lot of persons do not know that if they have problem in air travel that NCAA is the place to report”.

The director emphasized that there would not be disruption this period, and that more fleets are coming into the country to increase the capacity of air operations in the country.

His words“There will not be disruptions this festive season, because of the Minister’s signing of the Cape Town Convention Practice Direction and my Director General, Captain Chris Najomo, more aircraft are coming into the country.

“Recently, there are 10 new aircraft in Nigeria, spread across airlines, Ibom Air, Air Peace, United Nigeria. These have ramped up the fleets in Nigeria, because we have always had capacity problem. But now, we have more planes. The disruptions are going to reduce.

“In NCAA we are recording in the history of Nigeria the issue of Case resolution. Nigeria is one of the few countries in the whole world where airlines are made to pay 100% refund without charges.”

It has been observed that NCAA with its partners also organised a town hall meeting, in Port Harcourt, where stakeholders were sensitised on the operation at the Airport.

The theme of the meeting was “Repositioning the Nigerian Aviation Industry for Operational Efficiency, Service Excellence and Economic Viability: A Renewed and Inclusive Regulatory Dialogue “.

Speakers at the town hall meeting held at La Kings Event Centre, Port Harcourt, include, a filmmaker and actress, Hilda Dokubu, legal practitioner, Baba Isa, Head, Reportorial, DAAR Communication Ltd, Utibe Umoren, Nigeria Immigration Services and others.

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