NCAA Sends Message To Passengers Who Filed Complaints Against NG Eagle Airline

• The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has mandated airlines to effect all refunds to customers within 14 days or face sanctions
• The airlines are also given a timeline to resolve all customer complaints, and the NCAA is having a direct meeting to resolve complaints against a Nigerian airline
• The authority has sent a notice to customers who issued complaints against the airline and spoken about its plans to get them resolved

Legit.ng journalist Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the primary regulator for the aviation industry in Nigeria, has sent a message to passengers who filed complaints with the authority for refund or baggage issues.

The NCAA directed the passengers to send a Direct Message (DM) to the director of public affairs and consumer protection, Michael Achimugu, as a reminder of their complaint.

The authority stated that it had a scheduled meeting with the NG Eagle management and assured that it would resolve as many passenger complaints against the airline as possible.

A post from Michael Achimugu on X confirmed this update.

The post from Achimugu read;

“If you filed a complaint for refund or baggage issues with the NCAA against NG EAGLE, kindly send a reminder to my DM this morning as I am meeting with the airline to discuss these issues with a view to resolving as many of them as possible.

“This is for complaints against NG EAGLE.”

Nigerian Eagle airline commences flight operations

Nigerian Eagle is a young airline that only commenced operations in December 2023, with a promise to provide cheaper flight alternatives to Nigerians.

In its first month of operation, the airline fixed all domestic flights at N61,050 for the duration of the christmas holidays, at a time other airlines already charged above N100,000 for different domestic routes.

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) initially established the airline in 2019, but due to initial regulatory and judicial challenges, it did not commence operations until 2023.

NCAA updates refund policy, sets 14-day deadline

Recall that the NCAA earlier reiterated that ensuring ticket refund compliance was a core part of its mission to protect passenger rights.

Achimugu noted that Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations of 2023 mandates immediate refunds for cash purchases and allows up to a 14-day window for electronic payments made with USSD, mobile apps, and other forms of Internet banking.

NCAA to sanction airlines for withholding information

The NCAA has also announced strict sanctions for airlines that sell tickets to passengers without fully notifying them of travel restrictions that may hinder their travels.

This move came after several Nigerian passengers complained about being stranded in other countries because they were not properly informed of travel restrictions.

The NCAA declared that it is the duty of the airline to inform the passenger of travel requirements before leaving Nigeria.

NCAA slams sanctions on Kenya Airways

In related news, the NCAA has imposed multiple sanctions on Kenya Airways over several reports of passenger rights violations.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Kenya Airways left a Nigerian passenger, identified as Gloria Omisore, stranded in Nairobi for over 18 hours, refusing to let her board a connecting flight due to restrictions.

NCAA gave the airline a 7-day ultimatum to refund Omisore and two other passengers for their tickets, and also pay a N3 million fine to the authority.

Source: Legit.ng