The federal government has encouraged air travellers to demand their rights from local airline companies, including 100 percent refund of the cost of air travel tickets.
The federal government also said airline operators in the country are obligated to do this.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who stated this on Thursday at the weekly ministerial press briefing organised by the presidential communication team in Abuja, said while it was wrong for passengers to be unruly at airports, they must decorously insist on their rights whenever they are being trampled upon by airlines.
“On domestic flights, delays beyond one hour, a carrier should provide refreshment, and one telephone call, or one SMS, or one e-mail. They should send you an SMS or email or call you to say, ‘I am sorry, I am delayed for one hour,” he said.
“Delay for two hours, and beyond, the carrier shall reimburse passengers the full volume of their tickets.
“Delay between 10pm and 4am, the carrier shall provide hotel accommodation, refreshment, meal, two free calls, SMS, email and transport to-and-fro airport.”
Sirika, who pointed out that the same rules apply for international flights, also stated that the aviation ministry had already started sanctioning some airlines that default on consumer rights.
