The National Assembly, (NASS) has vehemently condemned the incessant flight delays by domestic airlines operating in Nigeria and has promised to find a solution as it plans to meet with the airlines soon.
This is also as they said they will look into the Acts setting up airlines and see areas of amendments to ensure airlines are more responsible to passengers and must keep to time.
Speaking during a visit by NASS and House and Senate Committees on aviation to Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA), Smart Adeyemi, senator representing Kogi West said more people now travel by air because the roads are not safe but sadly, people are delayed at the airport for as much as four to six hours without compensation.
Adeyemi said in a bid to address the issue, NASS will compile the names of the airlines and in order to put them on notice, will hold a meeting with them, and find out what the issues are, so a solution can be proffered.
“We are going to invite the airline operators. We are going to tell them our feelings and brainstorm on solutions. There must be compensation for passengers getting stranded. We are not saying they should compromise standards or compromise technical problems. But most times, they hide under the pretense of technical problems or they tell us the weather is not good.
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“I must however commend NIMET, NIMET is doing a good job. You can get to know the situation of the weather across the country through NIMET. So when airline operators tell us the weather is not good, it is easy to find out from NIMET,” he said.
He also disclosed plans by NASS to visit several airports across the country in the next few weeks to know the situation of these airports to guide them on budget allocations.
“It pays all of us when the airports are good. It is not the terminal that matters but the facilities and the airspace,” he added.
He commended the management of NAMA and AIB for their competence and professionalism in managing the airports.
“From what we have heard today, we are comfortable that there are very competent people managing the airspace and we hope they will continue,” Adeyemi said.
Also speaking during the visit, Nnoli Nnaji, chairman Senate Committee on Aviation also commended the two agencies, hinting that from the visit, it shows clearly that the managers of the industry know what they are doing.
Nnaji said the senate committee and NAMA have reached an agreement to move some mobile towers to certain locations in the Zones so it will be nearer to the geo-political zones and have also agreed to look at high traffic airports that need services and provide these services.
“We need to upgrade some airports to CAT 2 airports. After PH, we have Owerri as a high traffic area. After Owerri, is Enugu. So, we have to consider Owerri. We are also going to visit other airports for on-the-spot assessment,” he explained.
Also speaking on the frequent flight delays, Nnaji said flight delays are affecting businesses across Nigeria. “We can no longer take this. We also agreed that we would invite all the heads of agencies and the airline operators of Nigeria so we can discuss this issue of flight delays,” he said.
