NCAA Slams Air Peace, Max Air, Other Airlines With New Charges on Lost, Delayed Passenger Luggage
- The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said passengers are now entitled to compensation for delayed or lost luggage
- The acting DG of the agency, Chris Najomo, said that passengers are entitled to 10,000 or $170 for delayed luggage in the first seven days of the search
- He said domestic passengers would receive about $1,000 as compensation for lost luggage while the airline would be fined N5 million
Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has disclosed that passengers whose luggage is delayed are entitled to a first needs compensation payment of N10,000 for domestic flights and $170 for international flights.
Chris Najomo, the acting director general of the NCAA, disclosed this in Abuja at a press briefing, saying that it is time passengers got their rights.
Source: Getty Images
NCAA slams N5 million fine on domestic airlines
Najomo said that when passengers’ luggage is delayed, they are entitled to a first-needs payment of N10,000 for domestic flights and $170 for international flights while the luggage is being searched. The airline has up to seven days to search for domestic flights and 21 days for international flights.
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He described lost luggage as one that had not been found after a day of searching for domestic flights and 21 days for international flights.
Accordingly, the NCCA DG disclosed that $1,000 would be paid to domestic passengers. In contrast, 1,288 SDR (Special Drawing Right), which can be converted to any country’s currency, would be paid subject to the claim being evaluated by the airline’s insurance firm.
Passengers to get immediate refunds for cancelled flights
The agency further revealed that the timeline refund for cancelled flight tickets, if paid in cash, is immediate refund and 14 days for payments made through a bank or credit card.
He disclosed that defaulting airlines would fined N5 million if they failed to refund for cancelled flights.
Air Peace hikes fares
The development comes as Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline, recently hiked its fares by 100%.
Beginning November 1, 2024, a one-way flight from Lagos to Abuja aboard Air Peace will hit N200,000.
Experts have said the harsh economy is hitting the aviation industry hard, causing airlines to hike fares amid passenger protests.
Airfares across Nigerian airlines
The development has forced some Nigerians to choose alternative means of transport, preferring road travel.
Findings show that Air Peace’s airfares on Monday, October 21, 2022, raised fares to N200,000 from November, the highest among local airlines.
While Air Peace charges N200,000 and above on its site for a one-way trip from Lagos to Abuja, Aero charges N94,000 to over N109,000; Arik Air charges between N104,405 and N139,292, and Ibom Air ranges between N124,000 and over N133,000.
Punch reports that the hike in fares has left many passengers stranded at airports as they could not secure flights to their destinations.
Airlines to commence direct flights to UAE
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has agreed on reciprocal rights to ensure that Nigerian airlines commence direct flight operations to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to a statement by Tunde Moshood, Keymo's special assistant on media and communications, the meeting set the basis for the new Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between the two countries.
He disclosed that the agreement would boost collaboration between the two countries and establish guidelines for them.
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Source: Legit.ng
