Domestic airlines cancelled 190 flights, delayed 5,225 in two months – NCAA DG

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) about 190 flights were cancelled within two months.

Chris Najomo, acting director-general of NCAA, spoke on Friday at an engagement session with airlines in Lagos.

The NCAA DG, who expressed concerns over the increasing rate of flight cancellations, said 5,225 flights were also delayed within the review period.

According to Najomo, 5,291 flights were operated in September and 5,513 flights in October 2024.

“Delays and cancellations are sometimes inevitable, but poor management of these disruptions is not,” he said.

“It’s the responsibility of airlines to ensure that every disruption, whether due to operational, technical or weather-related challenges, is handled with the utmost professionalism and regard for passengers’ rights, particularly as we are in the harmattan season with poor weather conditions that will affect flight operations.

“Our flight operations data record indicates that in September 2024; 5,291 domestic flights were operated with 2,434 delays and 79 cancellations. In October 2024; 5,513 flights were operated with 2,791 delays and 111 cancellations recorded.

“I must remind all operators of the NCAA Regulations on Passenger Rights during disruptions, as outlined in the Nigeria Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection) Regulations, 2023 (that) these regulations are not optional; they are mandatory obligations.”

On December 24, the aviation authority (NCAA) said it sanctioned five airlines, comprising two international and three domestic operators, for violating Part 19 of NCAA Regulations of 2023.

The NCAA said the violations include failure to refund passengers within the stipulated time frame, non-responsiveness to authority’s directives, incidents of missing and manhandled luggage, short-landed baggage, and issues relating to flight delays and cancellations.