NCAA mandates 30-minute passenger updates during flight delays

ABUJA — Nigerian air travellers who have endured hours of silence at departure gates during delays may finally get some relief, as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has mandated airlines to provide passengers with updates every 30 minutes whenever a flight disruption occurs.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the directive is the regulator’s latest attempt to tackle one of the most persistent passenger complaints in Nigerian aviation: airlines that leave travellers stranded for hours with little to no communication about the status of delayed or cancelled flights.

A pattern of complaints

Over the past year, the NCAA has repeatedly clashed with domestic carriers over poor communication during disruptions.

At one point summoning Air Peace over stranded passengers and, separately, sanctioning three domestic airlines during the December travel rush for failing to adequately care for affected travellers.

The regulator’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, has been the public face of that enforcement push.

What the new directive requires

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According to reports gotten by ValidViewNetwork, the 30-minute update rule is anchored on Part 19 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023, which already obliges airlines to keep passengers informed and to provide care such as refreshments and alternative arrangements during delays.

The NCAA says its Consumer Protection Officers are now on ground at major airports to supervise how airlines handle affected passengers and enforce compliance in real time.

Enforcement, not just paperwork

ValidViewNetwork gathered that the authority intends to treat the directive as an enforceable standard rather than a mere advisory, with airlines that fall short risking sanctions similar to those handed down in the past.

For an industry that has struggled with fleet shortages, congested schedules and increasingly unpredictable weather.

The update rule shifts at least part of the disruption burden back onto carriers’ communication practices, whatever the underlying operational cause. ValidViewNetwork reports.