Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said the federal government may soon begin to compel domestic airlines to compensate travellers for cancelled or delayed flights as stipulated by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Act.
Keyamo spoke on flight disruption challenges during a meeting with the airline operators of Nigeria (AON) in Abuja on Monday.
In 2022, there were 47,144 cases of delayed flights by domestic carriers, with Airpeace, Overland Airways, and Azman Air leading the pack.
The minister who claimed to be speaking for ordinary Nigerians who complain every day about delayed and cancelled flights said even though the airlines may have their reasons for which they blame the government, it was not always the family of the government.
“At times, you say you were waiting for passengers to finish passing through the screening machine. At times, they have finished passing through screening machines. They are waiting in the lounge for five hours and you cancel your flight.
“So, you see, after some time, we will start implementing the provisions of the NCAA Act. You know, Nigerians don’t know there is compensation for delay. If it is an act of God, you cannot pay. But if it is human fault, the NCAA Act says you will pay. So, for all airline operators, while I have praised and supported you, I will also support Nigerians. You will pay them. After some time, I will put my feet on the ground. Pay them when you delay, cancel their flight,” Keyamo stated.
The minister further urged the airline operators to maintain stable communication channels that enable passengers to get cancellation notices promptly.
Meanwhile, the Airline Operators also called on the federal government to allow them to procure the requisite licence for the importation and distribution of aviation fuel, commonly called Jet A1.
Speaking on behalf of the association, Roland Iyayi, chief executive officer (CEO) of Top Brass Aviation, said there was an urgent need to ensure the adequate supply of aviation fuel in the sector.
He also pointed out the need for the government to provide a dedicated support line for domestic airlines to access foreign exchange (FX) to enable the carriers to meet their obligations to air travellers.
