The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, is prepared to punish airlines that fail to provide passengers with their refunded tickets.
This was announced in a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday by Mr Michael Achimugu, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection.
He claims that the NCAA’s consumer protection agenda continues to place a high priority on ticket refund compliance rules.
According to him, airlines must now closely follow the refund schedules or face immediate penalties under Part 19 of the rules.
The director stated that protecting passenger rights was the goal of Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.
Purchases made with cash must be reimbursed right away and in cash. He stated that refunds for electronic payments, such as those made through internet banking and mobile apps, must happen within 14 days.
Speaking about a particular instance involving Air Peace, the director said that the airline had gone past the allotted refund period and that the NCAA was forced to demand prompt compliance.
He claims that because of the occurrence, the regulators are now taking firm action to prevent any kind of non-compliance.
“The NCAA has collaborated with airlines to improve passenger experience and address operational issues over the past year.” To improve service delivery, the authority has continued to take a balanced stance and encouraged collaboration between operators and regulators.
“The relationship between operators and the NCAA has greatly improved, and the majority of airlines have been responsive, which benefits passengers overall,” he stated.
However, Achimugu declared that the time of lax enforcement was over and that more stringent procedures were now in place.
The director threatened to impose penalties on airlines that did not comply with NCAA Regulations 2023’s refund deadlines.
The director encouraged the airlines to see compliance as a chance to restore confidence while assuring travellers that the policy change would demonstrate the regulator’s dedication to their rights.
Achimugu advocated for increased efficiency in areas like refunds, which he described as “low-hanging fruits,” while acknowledging the operational difficulties the airlines were facing.
According to the director, the NCAA has previously helped travellers receive significant rebates and complete reimbursements.
He said that although passengers might not fully comprehend the intricacies of airline operations, they should promptly pay any refunds that are due.
He praised the NCAA acting Director General, Capt. Chris Najomo, and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, for their efforts to promote the aviation sector.
“Their dedication to carrying out the 2024 Action Plan and the Minister’s five-point agenda, which prioritises support for domestic carriers and ease of doing business. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have praised these efforts and affirmed Najomo as the substantive NCAA DG.
“NCAA is committed to maintaining accountability in the aviation industry, and the Consumer Protection Department has worked hard to raise awareness among passengers and assist operators,” he stated.
