…Storms PH with roadshow to unfold plans to avert air travel disruptions
A total of 10 airplanes are heading to Nigeria to help yuletide flight pressure as plans are afoot to avert chaos and rumpus at Nigerian airports this season.
These were disclosed Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at a roadshow conducted in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The Authority disclosed that it has taken all necessary moves to ensure that flight operations would not be disrupted during the yuletide period, promising that there would be seamless air operation throughout the season and beyond. Already, some airlines have started slashing airfares to as low as N80,000, an indication that the season may not be as chaotic and expensive as feared.
Speaking, Michael Achimugu, the Director Consumer Protection and Public Affairs of NCAA, said signing of the Cape Town Convention Practice Direction and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), by Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation, that 10 more aircraft have been approved to come into the country to increase the capacity of fleets for air operations in the country.
Consumer Protection Department of NCAA said the roadshow was to sensitise air customers on the appropriate process of laying complaints on issues of disruption in Port Harcourt.
Achimugu said the organization was keen on ensuring that air operations were not disrupted during the 2024 festive season and onward.
He noted that many travelers did not know that when their rights were violated or plans disrupted that they ought to report to NCAA, stating that the sensitization was to empower air passengers to know their rights and responsibilities.
He said: “We are now in the high travel season in the aviation sector and as you know there has been a lot of flight disruptions over the year and there has been a lot of complains as regards to that.
Read also: NCAA assures travelers of smooth yuletide season with increased airline capacity
“Our duty at the NCAA is to sensitive our passengers and our duty in the air consumer Protection Department of the NCAA is to protect both the passenger and the airlines as businesses. They are all our stakeholders. We cannot blame passengers for what they do not know. So, we are creating mass awareness. It will continue throughout next year. A lot of persons do not know that if they have problem in air travel that NCAA is the place to report”.
He mentioned the 10 new aircraft in Nigeria, spread across airlines, Ibom Air, Air Peace, United Nigeria. “These have ramped up the fleets in Nigeria, because we have always had capacity problem. But now, we have more planes. The disruptions are going to reduce.
“In NCAA we are recording in the history of Nigeria the issue of Case Resolution. Nigeria is one of the few countries the whole world where airlines are made to pay 100% refund without charges.”
Most travellers have remained apprehensive over what would happen this period as flights range as high as N300,000 or N500,000 return ticket just with Nigeria. There have been frequent flight cancellations and shifts. Now, the NCAA has allayed such fears.
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