The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed domestic airlines with aircraft on ground to reduce their flight schedules and align operations with available aircraft, in a move aimed at curbing prolonged delays and cancellations across the domestic aviation market.
The directive, issued by Michael Achimugu, director of public affairs and consumer protection at the NCAA, comes as the regulator steps up enforcement of operational and passenger protection requirements for domestic carriers.
Achimugu said airlines should not continue operating schedules that exceed the capacity of their serviceable aircraft, warning carriers with grounded aircraft to scale back their operations rather than expose passengers to avoidable disruptions.
The move effectively places greater responsibility on airlines to match their published schedules with their actual fleet availability, particularly when aircraft are grounded by technical, operational or weather-related challenges.
The NCAA also restated the welfare obligations airlines owe passengers affected by extended delays.
Under the regulator’s consumer protection provisions, passengers experiencing a two-hour delay are entitled to light refreshments, while those facing delays of six hours should receive a proper meal.
Where a delay extends until 10 p.m., affected passengers are also entitled to accommodation, except where the passenger resides in the city where the disruption occurs and subject to applicable conditions.
The NCAA said the measures are designed to prevent passengers from bearing unnecessary hardship when airlines have aircraft unavailable for service.
The directive follows recent operational disruptions involving Air Peace, which apologised to passengers affected by delays and cancellations across some of its operations.
Oluwatoyin Olajide, chief operating officer of Air Peace, attributed the disruptions to several operational and external factors, including an inadvertent false fire alarm that grounded one aircraft, adverse weather that resulted in diversions and cancellations, a bird strike that grounded another aircraft, technical issues requiring mandatory checks and maintenance, and delays in aviation fuel availability.
The airline said it would not compromise safety in an effort to maintain its published schedule, stressing that affected aircraft would only return to service after completing the necessary technical and safety procedures.
