THE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has vowed to impose strict sanctions on Qatar Airways for alleged mistreatment of a Nigerian passenger, accusing the airline of repeatedly disregarding the nation’s consumer protection regulations.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, via his official X (formerly Twitter) account sighted by News Point Nigeria on Saturday.
Achimugu accused the Doha-based airline of failing to comply with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023, which governs passenger rights and airline obligations in Nigeria.
In a narration that has triggered outrage among aviation stakeholders, Achimugu revealed that a Nigerian passenger, who was travelling with his wife from Lagos to the United States via Doha, was accused by a female cabin crew member of inappropriate touching during boarding in Lagos.
“The incident was never reported in Lagos as required by law. Upon arrival in Doha, the crew member made the allegation, leading to the arrest of the passenger,” Achimugu stated.
According to NCAA, the passenger was detained for about 18 hours, fined, and forced to sign a document written only in Arabic, a language he did not understand. Qatar Airways allegedly barred him from continuing his journey, compelling him to buy another ticket at great personal and financial cost.
The NCAA condemned the airline’s actions as a flagrant disregard for Nigerian regulations, warning that such conduct would no longer be tolerated.
“The airline @qatarairways has carried on as though Nigerian passengers and the NCAA are not deserving of their respect, dignified treatment, and compliance with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023. This will be brought to a stop immediately,” Achimugu warned.
He added that the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Captain Chris Najomo, has a zero-tolerance stance on consumer protection violations and has approved “appropriate and stiff penalties” for non-compliant carriers.
Achimugu also disclosed that NCAA had invited Qatar Airways’ Country Manager for a meeting over the incident, but the executive failed to attend, sending subordinates in his place.
The regulator accused the airline of ignoring multiple determinations and letters of investigation, as well as failing to respond to passenger complaints escalated by NCAA.
“To continue to treat our laws with contempt while respecting regulations across Europe and elsewhere is unacceptable. This department protects the airlines as much as it protects passengers, but our rules must be respected,” Achimugu stressed.
Qatar Airways is not alone under scrutiny. Achimugu disclosed that Royal Air Maroc and Saudi Air have also been cautioned for similar consumer protection violations and risk heavy sanctions if they continue to flout NCAA directives.
The NCAA warned that the matter could escalate to bilateral air service agreement (BASA) reviews if foreign airlines persist in disregarding Nigeria’s aviation regulations.
“Providing false information to NCAA or disregarding its directives is unlawful. Bilateral agreements must be respected,” Achimugu said, signalling that Nigeria could consider tougher measures if the pattern of violations continues.
Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023 provides a framework for the protection of passengers against unfair treatment by airlines. It covers issues such as denied boarding, flight delays, cancellations, mishandled baggage, and in-flight incidents, mandating prompt resolution and compensation where applicable.