More airlines will face penalties from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for breaking consumer protection laws according to the NCAA.
A stronger enforcement of passenger rights and industry laws is indicated by the recent actions taken against carriers for outstanding complaints and regulatory infractions.
This announcement was made on Sunday by Michael Achimugu, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection.
“More airlines will soon face penalties for similar offenses. it is currently with the legal department, awaiting passage to the DG’s desk for signature”, he disclosed.
“What has been announced is not the sanction itself but the initiation of the enforcement action,” he added.
He added “Now there’s a process to it. It’s my job to initiate these sanctions. Then we escalate it to the legal department. The legal department looks at it to ensure that we have no legal liability and that we are in order concerning the specific sanctions that I have listed, right? Then the DG will sign it. Now, it is when the DG signs it that it becomes an enforcement action.”
According to Achimugu, who discussed the agency’s recent proceedings against five airlines, several of the sanctioned carriers have begun to comply with the enforcement actions.
“Royal Air Maroc, I have summoned them to come to the office. Air Peace, of course, you heard the chairman himself acknowledged and accepted the sanctions. Aero has called to inform us that they have already treated seven of the eleven cases for which they are being sanctioned,” he noted.
He also noted progress with other airlines. “Ethiopian Airlines has written in to say that they have actually resolved cases for which we sanctioned them. However, I have asked them to send in their compliance report, which will show whether they resolved those cases before or after we announced those sanctions. Arik has also written in to say that their legal team is working on it.”
However, Achimugu emphasized that the enforcement procedure will continue for any unresolved infractions.
Source: BusinessDay
