NCAA to Track Airlines Performance, Speaks on Authority to Suspend Their Operations Over Delay

• A platform for consumer protection is reportedly being developed, according to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
• The director of consumer protection and public relations for NCAA said this would address issues about the aviation sector
• Achimugu further pledged objectivity in the evaluation of client complaints and monitoring the punctuality of airlines

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over 3-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

To handle concerns within the aviation industry, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) reports that plans are underway to develop a consumer protection platform.

Michael Achimugu, the NCAA's director of public affairs and consumer protection informed TheCable on Friday, July 19.

According to Achimugu, the portal is anticipated to launch in August.

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Additionally, he stated that the project's goal is to make airline performance data transparent and publicly available by enabling travellers to record grievances, monitor airline punctuality, and obtain self-reported information regarding case settlement.

He said,

“Our consumer protection portal is ready for deployment. We are currently training our officers. It will go live in August,” Achimugu said.

“The portal will enable the collection of flight operations data real-time-on-time and complaints filling and resolution.

“Invariably, the public will be able to see in real-time, each airline’s performance as regards flight operations (timeliness) and complaints handling and resolution (customer experience).”

Need for transaparency

Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, announced in January that the government would begin releasing information on domestic airlines' delayed or canceled flights.

According to the minister, airlines cannot be punished by suspending operations.

Achimugu clarified the minister's pledge by stating that the consumer portal will promote airline accountability and transparency.

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“As for naming and shaming, it was always going to be better to have a transparent and incontestable system where customer experience and real-time data would be the reporting system,” he said.

“Our consumer protection portal ensures that the performance of each airline reports itself for such scrutiny.”

Additionally, Achimugu promised impartiality in the assessment of customer grievances.

List of Nigerian airlines with most flight delays

Legit.ng reported thatIn the first three months of 2023, Air Peace reportedly postponed domestic flights, according to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The data was released by the aviation regulator in a report on both domestic and international flight operations in Nigeria.

According to NCAA, out of 18,288 domestic flights in the first quarter of 2023, 10,128 (or 55% of the total) were delayed, and 284 (or 1.55%) were canceled.

Source: Legit.ng