THE Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has expressed concerns over high rate of flight delays and cancellations in recent times.
Ag. Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo disclosed that out of 5,291 flights operated in September 2024; 2,434 were delayed while 79 were cancelled.
He added that out of 5,513 flights operated in October 2024, 2791 were delayed while 111 flights were cancelled.
Najomo spoke on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting with the theme, “Finding lasting solutions to flight disruptions.”
The stakeholders meeting is being attended by Airline Operators; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; representatives of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), among others.
Chairman/CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema is also attending with other members of the AON.
The DG stated that he has been inundated with calls from the Presidency, the National Assembly and the Ministry.
“The Senate President called me asking what are we doing about these disruptions. A lot has happened in the last one week,” he said.
The DG stated that while he understands the challenges faced by the airlines having been an operator himself before becoming a regulator, he would not sit down and watch things going wrong.
“When delays and cancellations occur, they disrupt plans, cause financial losses and undermine confidence in the industry,” he added.
The ADGCA reminded the operators of the provisions of the NCAA Regulations on Passenger Rights during disruptions, as outlined in the Nigeria Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection) Regulations, 2023.
He said, “These regulations are not optional; they are mandatory obligations that ensurePassengers are promptly informed of schedule changes, delays or cancellationAccommodation, refreshments, and alternative travel arrangements are offered when disruptions exceed the acceptable limits.”
He advised the airlines to handle delays in a most professional way, saying poor management of delays is the issue with the operators.
Najomo also warned passengers against destroying airlines property and beating up airline employees over delays, saying unruly behaviour would not be tolerated.
FAAN MD also aligned with Najomo’s submission, saying the only challenge lies with the poor management of delays and cancellations by airlines.