OLASUNKANMI AKINLOTAN explores the age-long, unending face-off between air travellers and local airlines
There is no end in sight in the battle between Nigerian airline operators and passengers as different dramas unfold at different times. The ugly bickering is majorly caused by flight cancellations, delays, or loss of valuables, to mention but a few.
Passengers are generally termed as unruly by airlines and terminal operators as well as stakeholders in the industry when issues degenerate into When issues degenerate into physical confrontations, experiences have shown that the situations are mostly predicated upon operators’ failure to meet their obligations as stipulated by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.
Part 19 of the NCAA Act stipulates the obligations and rights of both the airline and passengers for every business bordering on air transportation.
Recently, the industry has continually experienced a surge in the menace of flight cancellations, which, in turn, leads to passengers’ furore, which in many cases also leads to violence against airports and airline staff members.
In December, at a forum for aviation professionals and stakeholders, the acting Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Chris Najomo, expressed concern over the increasing rate of flight cancellations, stating that not less than 190 flights were cancelled within two months.
Najomo stated this while delivering his speech at the Airlines-NCAA engagement over the spate of flight disruptions in the country.
He disclosed that out of 5,291 flights operated in September 2024, 2,434 were delayed while 79 were cancelled.
The acting DG added that out of 5,513 flights operated in October 2024, 2,791 were delayed while 111 flights were cancelled.
Najomo also stated that he had been receiving phone calls from the presidency and members of the National Assembly over the unruly behaviours of passengers at the airport, mostly occasioned by flight disruptions/cancellations, which he termed an embarrassment to Nigeria.
The NCAA boss insisted that no stone would be left unturned in tackling the menace and restoring the sanctity of the Nigerian airports.
While asking the airlines to tidy their end of the air transport bargains, Najomo promised to meet with the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, after which a fresh, decisive decision on how to better tackle the development would be made.
Also in the same month, operators at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, also threatened to drag any passengers who engaged in unruly and violent behaviour at their terminal before a court of competent jurisdiction.
The operators acknowledged that frustrations over flight cancellations and delays were mostly the causes of the unacceptable acts, but the management of the terminal appealed for calm at all times.
The management of the MMIA 2, who made this known through a statement recently, appealed to passengers to channel their grievances to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority rather than resorting to unruly behaviours at the airport, which in most cases lead to damage of the terminal and equipment.
The statement reads partly, “Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2, wishes to remind the public of the importance of maintaining decorum and respect while at the airport. Recent incidents of unruly and violent behaviour by passengers are unacceptable and go against the standards of conduct expected within our facility.
The law
This part of the NCAA Act clearly states the rules governing the contractual agreement between a passenger and airline every time.
Part 19 of the NCAA Act prescribes minimum rights and responsibilities of passengers and airlines’ obligations to passengers, where (a) there is an incidence of overbooking and passengers are denied boarding against their will; (b) a scheduled flight is delayed; (c) a scheduled flight is cancelled; and (d) passengers fail to discharge their duties.
Issues
Meanwhile, as a result of ignorance and an intentional decision to circumvent the law, both airlines and passengers have turned the airport into a fight ring, making staff members the most hit by the development.
Operators mostly circumvent the law by not communicating new developments such as postponement or cancellation of flights to passengers when due or refusing to take up responsibilities when flights are suddenly postponed, which majorly contributes to the hiccups experienced at the airport as witnessed recently.
Passengers’ ignorance of the basic law guiding their rights also makes them fall short in their duty to ensure a successful transaction with the airline.
For instance, as popular as the part of the Act that mandates the passenger to arrive at the airport two hours before their departure time is, passengers still violate this and often blame the airline for what is outrightly their fault.
Aside from several shenanigans reportedly pulled off by passengers and airline shortcomings, particularly the domestic operators for delayed and cancelled flights without prior notice, various other reasons have been adduced for the incessant face-offs.
Experts speak
While a section of players in the sector attributed this to the inadequate facilities provided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the navigational facilities provided by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, especially during poor weather, others lampooned the airlines.
Some also castigated the regulatory authority, NCAA, for failing to sanction erring operators or agencies found wanting in the discharge of duties to the flying public.
In his view, the former Managing Director of Virgin Nigeria, Capt. Dapo Olumide, in a recent industry meeting, observed that most of the flight delays in the Nigerian aviation industry were due to poor infrastructure at the airport and stations.
He decried a lack of improvement in airport infrastructures in the past 30 years despite the attendant increase in the number of air travellers and airlines within the period.
He specifically mentioned the fuelling of aircraft on the tarmac through petroleum tankers, whereas other developed aviation countries have connected pipelines to link their tarmacs.
He said, “Flight delays in most cases are due to infrastructure. A lot has been said about our airport infrastructure, but we have yet to improve much in the past 30 years except for the installation of more air conditioners and tiles at the Lagos airport.”
Chief Executive Officer of Centurion Security Services, Group. Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd.), observed that flight delays and cancellations in Nigeria had become too incessant, particularly among the domestic carriers, saying this had remained unsolved despite efforts.
Ojikutu explained that rather than find an efficient resolution to the real causes of the challenges, the operators and industry regulator had continued to pass bulk on the cause of flight delays and cancellations.
He added that various factors, which were not in the control of the airlines, were also responsible for the menace.
He added, “There are many factors that do and could contribute to flight delays and are generally beyond the controls of the airlines. Most of them are, and can be attributed to other operators and service providers, including the airport authority infrastructure, especially the passenger facilitation services.
“These include passenger access control; passenger and carry-on baggage; checkpoint screening; hold baggage screening and sorting; the number of boarding gates; and the boarding screening. All these are not within the control of the airlines, as they often delay passenger facilitation and flight departure time, especially at the single terminal airport, with a single passenger screening, checkpoints, and a single boarding gate.
“For instance, at Lagos airports where there are two domestic terminals, MMA2 and GAT, there is only one screening point and boarding gate at GAT where Air Peace and Arik with more flights operate from, whereas the MMA2 most times has about two passenger screening checkpoints and about six boarding gates.”
Passengers hail NCAA
However, the intervention of the NCAA seems to have been quelling the fierce face-off between the passengers and the airlines. The heavy regulation of the airlines by the Public Affairs and Consumer Protection Unit of the regulatory agency seems to have tamed the excesses of the airlines and increased the passengers’ awareness of aviation-related matters.
A frequent flyer, Joseph Udoka, told our correspondent that the airport contributes significantly to the anger in the country, but the intervention of the NCAA has helped in resolving many of the contending issues.
He stated that before now, airlines did treat passengers “like trash, but the fear of the NCAA has restored some sanity to their dealings of late.”
He added,” Now, different complaints and fights at the airport have drastically reduced, unlike before; then whenever you get to the airport, you see one or two fights or displays of displeasure by passengers. Many of the airlines at that time did not even show remorse. Then, the airlines are best likened to emperors. But now all you need is to walk to any of the officers of the NCAA at the airport.”
Another passenger, Adedeji Olayemi, appealed to the regulators to continue their current techniques at resolving consumer complaints, saying, “We now even scare the staff of airlines with the threat of reporting them to the NCAA, and that is why we are enjoying the palpable peace that we are currently enjoying at different airports across the country.”
NCAA reacts
When contacted, NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, acknowledged an initial difficulty in getting the airlines to comply with the rules of the industry.
He added that many operators were too comfortable with noncompliance with the NCAA Act, a set of rules guiding the aviation industry in the country.
The NCAA boss added that regular stakeholder engagements are fast-changing the narrative, stressing that the changes weren’t without sanctioning some of the airlines.
Achimugu stated, “The biggest challenge I have had to deal with is eliminating the complacency of airlines per compliance with the regulations. When I assumed office, I noticed that operators were too comfortable with non-compliance.
“Now, the story is fast changing. The regular stakeholder engagements we had in 2024 helped build a robust relationship between regulator and operator.
“For the first time in the history of the department, we have begun to sanction airlines for consumer protection infractions. This also keeps them on their toes.”
He also lamented that “another major problem is educating passengers to the point where they realise that they also have obligations and not rights alone. In 2025 we will double our passenger education campaigns.
“Automating the complaints resolution process has made work easier.”
However, he advised all stakeholders to get acquainted with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023 and comply accordingly.
