– As the Minister Commissions Complaints Portal in Lagos
LAGOS – Mr. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to within the next 24 hours take action on the air ticket funds hanging with some airlines, especially those that have suspended flight operations in recent months.
This is as the minister on Thursday at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, on Thursday, launched the NCAA Consumer Protection Portal, which would ensure real time lodge of complaints by air travellers and its resolve by the apex regulatory agency in the industry.
Speaking at the launch of the portal, Keyamo regretted that some passengers who had hitherto booked to fly with some of the suspended airlines, were finding it difficult to reclaim their funds, despite all the efforts such passengers had made in the past.
Keyamo declared that antics by the airlines would not be allowed by the government and directed the NCAA to by Friday inform the public on steps it had taken to resolve such complaints.
Though Keyamo did not mention any airline that was affected by this non-refund of air tickets money, in the last one year, at least two airlines had suspended operations for various reasons.
First, Azman Air in August 2023, suspended operations due to the lack of equipment to continue flight services.
All the three Boeing 737-300 aircraft of the airline had gone for C-check abroad, but the lack of forex and inadequate financial resources by its promoters compelled it to close operations.
Also, earlier this year, April 24, to be precise, the government had suspended operations of Dana Air for safety and financial reasons.
A letter by Dr. Emmanuel Meribole, Permanent Secretary in the ministry to the NCAA, had noted that as the supervisor overseeing the nation’s aviation safety and regulatory compliance, it had come to the minister’s attention that recent incidents involving Dana Airlines had raised serious concerns regarding both the safety and financial viability of their operations.
Since the suspension of the airline, the management of Dana Air had found it difficult to return, but there are assurances by its promoters that the airline would “soon return to operations.”
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Keyamo said: “I am not unaware of the complaints of people whose money has not been refunded by certain airlines that have stopped operations due to safety concerns. I receive a huge number of such complaints in my emails, text messages and direct messages. I have been a lawyer of the Federal Republic for over 30 years before I was called to serve my fatherland. People find a way to send these complaints to me and that is why I receive some of these complaints directly.
“For the airlines that have not refunded passengers’ money, there must be a public statement by the NCAA by the end of Friday latest. Let the public know what is happening to that money. I know you have reached a resolution about that. Let’s not pretend as if we are not hearing anything about this. People bought tickets before the airlines ran into troubled waters. What happened to their money? What plans do you have to refund them? This is part of consumer protection.
“Please, the NCAA should come out with a public statement to show what they are doing about resolving the issue.”
Besides, Keyamo said that the launch of the Consumer Protection Portal by NCAA would ease complaints and ensure efficiency in the system.
He explained that the viability of the industry would be determined by the attention paid to the travelling public and commended the leadership of NCAA, especially the Consumer Protection Directorate for the initiative.
He insisted proper attention must be paid to the end users, which are the travelling public by all and sundry.
He said: “The final thing that we must achieve in the sector is that the person boarding the aircraft must have good experience, must feel the change either in terms of prices, environment or experience. So, everybody is working for that final consumer, including myself. So, let it be clear that we are all Consumer Protection Officers (CPOs) and it’s not only for those gentlemen and ladies in uniform.
“As a frequent flyer myself, I have seen first hand, the rage of passengers who are either disappointed by delayed flights, cancellations or some ugly experiences on those flights. I have seen the rage and this is a means by which they can ventilate that rage.”
Also in his welcome address, Capt. Chris Najomo, the Acting Director-General Civil Aviation (ADGCA), said that upon his assumption of office in December 2023, he had two mandates – Minister’s five-point agenda and Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He explained that the collective desire to fulfil these tasks within the timeline was driven by the need to revolutionise consumer protection activities in NCAA, while also enforcing airlines’ compliance with the regulatory requirements in Part 19 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.
He added: “This initiative represents a significant step in our commitment to safeguard the rights and interests of aviation consumers across our nation.
“In today’s rapidly evolving marketplace, consumers face myriads of challenges. From being unaware of their rights, to navigating complex regulations to addressing poor services or unfair practices. Hence, the need for a robust system to protect and empower consumers has never been more critical.”
