NCAA to sanction airlines over sharp practices

 NCAA to sanction airlines over sharp practices 

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said on Tuesday that it has concluded plans to sanction airlines which engage in sharp practices by selling tickets to passengers when they have not met  the conditions required for their aircraft to be airborne.

Such practice, the NCAA said, constitutes a breach of its regulations saying it will take any and every step to whip such operators in line.

Its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr Micheal Achimugu disclosed this yesterday while engaging industry players at the NCAA National Stakeholders Summit in Lagos.

Speaking on the theme : "  Achieving Increased Adoption of Digital Technology in Air Travel Customer Complaint Management: The Regulatory Perspective", Achimugu said the authority is getting increasingly worried over infractions committed by carriers to many passengers , who should begin to acknowledge their rights.

He said the summit was convened to expand the conversations on how to improve the air travel experience  with the respective agencies playing their roles to protect the rights of passengers.

Describing the summit as an input gathering platform, Achimugu the NCAA embarked on a roadshow to create awareness on what is expected of service providers in the air travel value chain.

Achimugu said : " Yet, daily passengers allege that we protect the airlines more than we care about passenger rights. What a situation to be in.

This is why, today, everybody will answer their name. We will probe each other, we will investigate, we will be brutally honest, and we will collaborate to fix the problems.
"Over the years, the problem with meetings like this one has been the lack of follow-through. There's been a lot of talk but no action. Under the leadership of Capt. Chris Najomo, today's NCAA does not intend to become a mere statistic in the dustbin of history.
"We aim to, together with you all, splash colours on the canvass of history, and the best time to begin is today, if we have missed opportunities in the past.
"As we begin to deliberate, bear in mind that we must approach these discussions from a place of honesty and patriotism. Let us not talk for the sake of speaking, but with a sense of pride that, upon our shoulders rests the present and future of an industry so important, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has centered his economic plans on it. I guess the question becomes, when the story of Nigerian aviation is told tomorrow, where would you want your name to be? How would you want to be remembered?"
He said the NCAA will not spare any violator as it braces up to fix sore points in the industry .

Achimugu said : " The task before us is huge. We will step on toes to get the right thing done. We will make decisions and adjustments that will not compromise safety and security, but will uplift the travel experience of the people for whose sake the industry exists; the passengers.
"I also invite all passengers to remember that airlines are in business and must make certain decisions based on the same principles that passengers also apply to their personal businesses as well. We must, therefore, strike a balance in the best interest of all parties. So, as you insist on having your rights protected, also do well to remember to honour your responsibilities as clearly stated in Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023."

On his part, Executive Director / Chief Operating Officer of Ibom Air , Mr George Uriesi airlines will continue to collaborate with NCAA to improve the travel experience. 

He said lack of proper communication in the processing of booking information often triggers attacks on airline facilities by irate passengers who are trapped in the conundrum of delayed / canceled flights.

On her part, the Senior Special Assistant to the Director General of NCAA and Head , Flight Operations Adjudication, Mrs Ifueko Abdumalik said the regulator has scaled its acts to address rising consumer complaints  bordering on flight delays/ cancellation, poor services by airlines and other challenges.

Mrs Abdumalik said the NCAA will continue to push for a robust regulatory framework to align with global standards.

She spoke of interventions by the NCAA in handling complaints from persons with reduced mobility and the need for both passengers and airlines to document their matter for regulatory resolution.

Other speakers  at the event, including representatives of travel agents, called on the NCAA to step up support in recovering trapped funds for some domestic carriers that have ceased operations.

They called on the NCAA to intervene in facilitating quicker resolution of ticket refunds and other infractions.

In his presentation, Lawyer / Thought Leader, First Baba Isa noted that a recurring decimal the industry has to tackle head on is how to protect the interest of passengers , from airlines , which continue to hold on to their obligation.

He accused airlines of consistently apologising without resolving the litany of challenges thrown at them.

 

ReplyReply to allForward Add reaction