Poor Treatment Of Air Passengers Worries NCAA Chief

Dr Harold Demuren, Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), last Tuesday expressed disappointment with certain unprofessional practices such as flight delays and cancellation by domestic airline operators.

Demuren, who was speaking at a two-day stakeholders forum in Abuja, said it was in the best interest of the global aviation industry for passengers to complain and to seek redress when aggrieved.

He said the forum was organised to enlighten passengers and aviation takeholders on their rights and privileges with a view to improving services for the air traveller, airline operators and the aviation authorities in Nigeria.

“All over the world, the aviation industry is highly regulated with standards set up to ensure safety, security and comfort of air travellers.

“The Nigerian experience cannot be otherwise as we are a member of the international community and our services will, therefore, follow the global direction for air safety and comfort,’’ Demuren said.

He said a “statement of rights and obligations” had been established by the NCAA to ensure that sanctions were meted out to airlines that infringed on the rules and urged all stakeholders to support the initiative.

Demuren said the the statement of rights and obligations was borne out of numerous complaints by passengers using the domestic carriers in the country.

He said the areas of focus to be addressed were loss of luggage, flight delay and cancellation, overbooking, air space closure and other related issues.

Demuren said electronic portals would be installed at the airports, starting with Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano to inform passengers of their rights and obligations.

In his comments, Mr Felix Saibu, the Managing Consultant, Felicity Financial and Tax Association Ltd, organisers of the forum, said that the event was meant to create awareness on the rights of passeangers.

“We are to publicise this in the 36 states and the political zones so that people will be fully aware of their rights from the point of leaving home to their destinations.”

“We want general awareness before the bill on passengers rights will be passed by the National Assembly.”