By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advised airlines to blacklist unruly passengers to serve as a deterrent to others.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Mr. Michael Achimugu, gave the charge on Wednesday in Abuja during a stakeholder meeting with domestic airlines.
The purpose of the engagement was to address regulatory issues, including unruly passenger behavior and passenger handling protocols; unresolved refund and compensation cases; the introduction of RFID bag tags and flight monitoring technology; enforcement of phone switch-off instructions; protection for cabin crew; and improved travel experiences for passengers.
Airlines present at the meeting included Arik, Ibom, Aero, United Nigeria, Green Africa, Max Air, Rano Air, ValueJet, Air Peace, and Overland.
Mr. Achimugu wondered why airlines continue to complain about unruly passengers yet hesitate to blacklist them, stressing that such action would send a strong message that it is no longer business as usual.
He reiterated that all airline staff must be treated with dignity and respect at all times, regardless of the situation.
He further advised aggrieved passengers to escalate issues such as flight disruptions and other infractions to the NCAA for regulatory redress rather than resort to assaulting airline staff.
“Passengers are obsessed with rights but not responsibilities. We will continue to educate to make sure this situation changes. We are also insisting that airlines retain their cabin and flight crews, but we must also protect their rights. Airline staff must be treated with dignity and respect. Paying for a service doesn’t give you the right to assault or be unruly,” Mr. Achimugu noted.
“We are willing to support the airlines, but they must also fulfill their duties to customers, who, by the way, pay high airfares and are deserving of world-class service,” he told the airlines.
Also speaking at the event, Mrs. Ifueko Abdulmalik, Senior Special Assistant to the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said it is unacceptable for airlines to reschedule flights without providing adequate information, care, or re-protection for passengers.
She added that refund processing also remains a critical issue that airlines must urgently improve upon.
“In the last couple of months, there has been an escalation in complaints about refunds. Refunds should be made for flight cancellations as and when due,” she said, adding that requirements on short-landed baggage must also be strictly complied with as stipulated in the regulations.
Various representatives of the airlines who spoke at the meeting raised concerns about the constant abuse of check-in staff and demanded stronger protection for them.
They also highlighted the challenge of broken infrastructure at airports operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and called for urgent repairs to aid passenger processing.
