NCAA vows stiffer sanctions on domestic airlines over flight delays

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Michael Achimugu, the director of public affairs and consumer protection of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA has vowed that the Authority will henceforth begin to push for stiffer sanctions against domestic airlines for flight delays.

Achimugu announced this on his X handle on Thursday while lamenting that domestic airlines still continue to engage in flight delays despite support for them by government.

He noted that while the flight some of the flight delays may be due to issues beyond the capacity of the airlines, NCAA will not hold back on operators with recurrent inefficiency.

“We will be pushing for stiffer penalties against domestic airlines for chronic delays. We have protected operators, stood for them, explained for them, been insulted for them, and supported them because it is the right thing to do. Majority of flight disruptions are not caused by the airlines, but recent events justify the need for heavier ramifications where there is recurrent inefficiency.

“The natural law of nature is that when an industry is supported by government in the way that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done; in the way that the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, SAN has done; in the way that the DGCA, Capt. Chris Najomo has done; in the way that our Consumer Protection Department has done, the least expectation of reciprocity is for remarkable improvements to reflect in flight operations and some other aspects.

“One understands, and has reiterated the challenging operating environment that operators have to meander in an industry that is starting to improve in terms of policies driven by the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development (read the CTC Practice Direction, IDERA, Consumer Protection awareness, etc) but there are some lapses that are inexcusable.

Achimugu noted that failure of airlines to properly communicate to passengers during flight delays flight delays and cancellations have been responsible for the violence at airport terminals.

While further justifying the step, the NCAA director noted that a US Jet Blue airline was recent fined $2 million by the U.S authorities for “chronic delayed flights.”

He noted that the sanction was the first of its kind in the US.

“The failure to manage information properly, as well as poor passenger handling, has been responsible for the majority of passenger violence at our airport terminals.

“Not too long ago, the US authorities fined Jet Blue airline to the tune of TWO MILLION DOLLARS for “chronic delayed flights,” the first of its kind in the US.

“Regulations may evolve as challenges take expression and impact the industry.

“The NCAA is committed to protecting the rights of all stakeholders, and a review that strengthens the Authority to enforce compliance for both passengers and operators has to be done.

The NCAA had in its ‘Summary of Airline Flight Performance’ said at least least 845 flights were either delayed or cancelled in quarter three of 2025 among 13 domestic airlines in Nigeria.

NCAA in the report said Air Peace had the highest number of flight delays in Q3 with 6.87; Max Air, 3.75 per cent; United Nigeria, 3.42 per cent; Rano Air, 1.74 per cent; XE Jet, 1.62 per cent and Ibom Air with 1.23 per cent flight delays within the period under review.

Others were Aero Contractors; 1.20 per cent; Arik Air, 0.96 per cent; ValueJet, 0.93 per cent; Overland, 0.45 per cent; NG Eagle, 0.39 per cent; Umza Air, 0.24 per cent and Green Africa with 0.15 per cent of its total flights operated within the period.

NCAA said on cancelled flight, United Nigeria came tops with 0.63 per cent of its total flights; Max Air, 0.42 per cent of its total flights, while the two airlines under the receivership of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Aero Contractors and Arik Air were joint in a third place with 0.30 per cent of cancelled flights within the period under review.

Others were Green Africa, 0.27 per cent; Ibom Air, 0.12 per cent; Air Peace, 0.09 per cent, while NG Eagle, Overland, Rano and Value Jet all had 0.03 per cent flight cancellations, while Umza Air, which commenced flight operations in November, had zero per cent cancellation.