NCAA to revolutionise air travel experience in Nigeria
From left: Vice Chairman Foreign Airline Operators Committee, Mr. Damilola Ogunseye; Chairman, Jonah Aviation Holding, South Africa, Mr. John Westerhoff; Chief Executive Officer, ValueJet, Mr. Trevor Henry; Chairman, LAAC, Mr. Suleiman Idris; President NANTA, Mr. Yinka Folami; Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Michael Achimugu; Director, Airline Services, Ibom Air, Mrs. Amaka Echetabu and Others, during the NCAA Consumer Protection National Stakeholder Summit on Achieving Increase Adoption of Digital Technology in Air Travel Customer Complain Management the Regulatory Perspective i Lagos. on Tuesday. Photo
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, on Tuesday, convened the NCAA Consumer Protection National Stakeholder Summit to discuss and proffer solutions on challenges of air travels faced by travellers.
The stakeholders’ summit organised by the NCAA Consumer Protection took place at the Lagos NCAA annex with the theme “Achieving Increased Adoption of Digital Technology in Air Travel Customer Complain Management”.
The submit emphasised the need for honesty and collaboration.
In his remark, the NCAA Director-General, Captain Chris Najomo who was represented by the NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu brought out the urgency of tackling passenger rights and airline accountability, urging all parties from the FAAN to customs officials to engage in brutal honest discussions.
He said, “Yesterday while leading my team on an awareness campaign to an airport terminal in Lagos, an airline management staff accused my department of always taking sides with passengers. Although he spoke respectfully, he was speaking what he believed to be his truth.
“Yet, daily, the said passengers allege that we protect the airlines more than we care about passenger rights. What a situation to be in.
“This is why, today, everybody will answer their name. We will probe each other, we will investigate, we will be brutally honest, and we will collaborate to fix the problems.
“Over the years, the problem with meetings like this one has been the lack of follow-through. There’s been a lot of talk but no action.”
It was stated that the NCAA does not intend to become a mere statistic in the dustbin of history, noting that the meeting aims to ensure actionable outcomes, moving beyond mere rhetoric to enhance the travel experience and industry standards, crucial for Nigeria’s economic plans under President Bola Tinubu.
“We aim to, together with you all, splash colours on the canvas of history, and the best time to begin is today, if we have missed opportunities in the past.
“Let us not talk for the sake of speaking, but with a sense of pride that, upon our shoulders rests the present and future of an industry so important, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has centred his economic plans on it.
“The task before us is huge. We will step on our toes to get the right thing done. We will make decisions and adjustments that will not compromise safety and security, but will uplift the travel experience of the people for whose sake, the industry exists; the passengers.
“I also invite all passengers to remember that airlines are in business and must make certain decisions based on the same principles that passengers also apply to their personal businesses as well. We must, therefore, strike a balance in the best interest of all parties. So, as you insist on having your rights protected, also do well to remember to honour your responsibilities as clearly stated in Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023,” he added.
