The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has expressed serious concern over the increasing instances of airlines falsely scheduling departure times, issuing a stern warning to airlines to cease this practice or face stringent regulatory measures.
The Acting Director General of Civil Aviation in Nigeria,Capt. Chris Najomo, highlighted this issue on Tuesday at the Authority’s corporate headquarters in Abuja. He emphasized that the NCAA is now adopting a zero-tolerance stance toward regulatory violations.
Speaking through Mr. Michael Achimugu, the NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Capt. Najomo stated in a media interview that upon assuming office, “he made the ease of doing business the crux of his action plan for the NCAA.”
He further elaborated, “In line with that action plan, he has made processes for licensing easy for operators. The time to secure AOC is now shorter and less cumbersome than it used to be in the past. The NCAA therefore expects reciprocity from airlines.”
The Acting DGCA underscored that if the NCAA is streamlining business operations for airlines, it is only fair that airlines reciprocate by providing superior services to passengers.
“It has come to our notice that some airlines are being reported for advertising deceitful departure times. The NCAA regulation says no airline shall display deceitful passenger departure time at its counter, advert material, or on its website. We want to make it very clear that the DGCA has directed monitoring and offenders will face serious regulatory actions,” he asserted.
He noted that the Authority prioritizes safety, discipline, and economic regulation, as demonstrated by the recent suspension of ten PNCF holders for non-compliance with the recertification advisory issued in April 2024.
Najomo stressed that while the NCAA supports airlines in becoming profitable due to their significant economic value, it is crucial that passengers are treated fairly.
Regarding the ease of doing business, Najomo mentioned that the NCAA will continue to improve in this area.
“This is evident in our high score on the Presidential Enabling Business Council (PEBEC) ranking. Recently our sister agency scored 96 percent but the NCAA scored 98.5 percent which is an extremely high score. This is building from the commendable score of 71.04 the NCAA scored during this year’s ICAO Security Audit,” he said.
He concluded with an assurance, “The numbers are improving and we will continue to do what we can to make the industry safer, and more secure for passengers and stakeholders.”
