NCAA: Flight delays, cancellations are unavoidable

Adamu Abdullahi, the director of consumer protection directorate at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), says flight delays and cancellations are unavoidable in the aviation industry.

NAN quoted Abdullahi to have made this remark on Tuesday while briefing aviation correspondents at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja on incessant flight delays by airlines.

He explained that some of the delays were due to technical, operational and safety reasons like weather, mechanical failure and VIP movements.

“Delays and flight cancellations are inevitable in the aviation industry, it must happen. The regulations realised that and that is why we looked at it and we decided to ensure compensation to passengers,” he said.

“However, I will prefer to call it refreshments for the passengers, rather than compensation and if you delay a passenger for up to two hours, you have to give him some kinds of refreshments.

“You must have a way of compensating them until the flight is announced, although, there are many reasons for delays and cancellations, most of them are safety based.

“When safety is involved, we don’t discuss comfort and we even encourage airlines to delay or cancel flights whenever they have technical or weather-related issues.

“So, when an airline can prove to us that it delayed a flight due to safety, then, they are off the hook and it won’t attract sanctions.”

Abdullahi said the directorate does not announce when it sanctions any airlines because it might likely de-market the airline.

He, however, said in spite of this, the directorate would ensure that the rights of the flying public were not infringed on by airlines and other organisations in the sector.