NCAA bars pilots from flying unruly passengers

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed pilots not to operate flights carrying unruly passengers.

Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, announced the directive during a meeting with domestic airline operators in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the measure is intended to strengthen safety and discipline in the aviation sector, adding that pilots must not take off until disruptive passengers are removed by security personnel or the matter is amicably resolved.

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“Pilots must not fly the plane until unruly passengers are removed from the aircraft by security or the issue is resolved amicably. This will go a long way to protect cabin crew and ensure passengers treat them with courtesy,” Achimugu said.

He stressed that many incidents escalate because pilots fail to take charge, and warned that “no passenger has the right to touch any cabin crew.”

At the same time, Achimugu urged airline staff to uphold professionalism. “Cabin crew should not be rude, and passengers should not misconstrue firmness as rudeness,” he said.

Airlines represented at the meeting included Arik Air, Ibom Air, Aero Contractors, United Nigeria Airlines, Green Africa, Max Air, Rano Air, ValueJet, Air Peace, and Overland Airways.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.