Why NCAA launched a complaints portal in Nigerian airports

• The Nigeria Civil Aviation  Authority (NCAA) is set to unveil a new portal to lodge passengers’ complaints and resolutions
• The agency said it has commenced the training of its officers and airline staffers on the portal’s use
• It disclosed that the portal will help passengers, airlines, and the NCAA to resolve complaints timely

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) is set to launch a consumer protection portal to track real-time passenger complaints against airlines and the resolution process.

The Authority said it has commenced training for its consumer protection officers and the airlines’ representatives on using the new portal.

Nigerian Aviation Agency launches portal to monitor passenger complaints Credit: Novatis
Source: Getty Images

Portal to ensure the performance of airlines

The agency said the two-day training, which began on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, was declared open by NCAA’s Acting Director General, Chris Najomo.

Najomo said via his representative, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, that the portal will foster faster and hassle-free resolution of passenger complaints.

Najomo assured that the portal would also ensure the on-time performance of all airlines in Nigeria.

He noted that the agency never had a consumer protection portal, saying this was the first time.

He explained that the portal had lightened the 260 complaint officers of the agency and the airlines.

Passengers lament ticket racketeering

According to reports, Ifueko Abdulmalik, the Assistant General Manager of Consumer Protection, disclosed that the portal aligns with the NCAA’s automation process and reforms.

On monitoring, she said the Minister and the DGCA will be on the portal, and they can monitor complaints resolutions at all times.

She said the airlines can log the flights that have been delayed so the NCAA can monitor regulatory compliance.

The development comes amid reports of airlines violating passengers' rights and refusing to compensate after cancellations or delays.

Meanwhile, air passengers in Nigeria lament the takeover of Nigeria’s airports by touts, who say they are responsible for the high cost of air tickets in Nigeria.

The development is despite passengers paying as much as N250,000 for a one-hour trip from Lagos to Abuja.

Stakeholders blame racketeering for fare increases

Findings show that the airline fleet scarcity was due to an increase in the number of inoperable aircraft owned by several local carriers due to exchange rate volatility and Dana Air’s grounding by the NCAA.

Aviation analysts believe that the number of air passengers has been unchanged in the last year, while airline seats have decreased due to industry issues.

Leadership reports that the development has shrunk the number of serviceable aircraft in Nigeria, leading to ticket racketeering as fewer seats become available for thousands of air passengers nationwide.

Airlines choose lucrative routes, hike fares

Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerian airlines prioritize flights to airports with more passenger traffic than others as aircraft shortages linger.

Due to poor or lack of maintenance, the aircraft shortage is worsened by the high maintenance costs and grounding of others by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, grounded the entire fleet of Arik Air over a court order, further worsening passengers’ woes.

Source: Legit.ng