Tag: NCAA

XNigerian carrier, Air Peace, has responded to a reported statement by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) urging the airline to improve its domestic flight operations amid claims of chronic delays and cancellations.

In a press release issued by the airline’s management, Air Peace expressed appreciation for the NCAA’s role in maintaining aviation safety and regulatory oversight, but emphasised the need to correct perceived misrepresentations regarding its operational capacity and safety practices.

“While we hold the NCAA in the highest regard… we believe it is essential to set the record straight,” the statement read.

The airline reiterated that safety remains its topmost priority, explaining that delays and cancellations are often due to safety concerns rather than operational deficiencies.

“If weather conditions, technical parameters, or operational standards fall short of what is safe, we will not operate that flight,” Air Peace stated.

The airline also responded to an alleged recommendation from the NCAA suggesting it reduce its operational scale to match available aircraft.

Air Peace refuted any claims of fleet shortages, noting that it currently possesses more aircraft than are deployed daily.

“Any delays or cancellations we’ve experienced have absolutely nothing to do with fleet shortage,” the airline clarified.

To highlight the unpredictable nature of flight disruptions, Air Peace cited an incident earlier today involving a bird strike during landing in Enugu, which resulted in engine damage and the immediate grounding of the aircraft.

The airline noted that the affected plane had been scheduled to service several routes, causing unavoidable ripple effects on operations.

“It is not our policy to delay or cancel flights without due cause,” the statement continued, adding that the airline often bears significant financial losses when flights are disrupted. “We will never sacrifice safety for convenience, comfort, speed, or profit.”

Air Peace reaffirmed its dedication to serving passengers with dignity, professionalism, and a steadfast commitment to global aviation safety standards.

FCT, Abuja — The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a stern warning to international airlines over the growing number of complaints from passengers who are being airlifted halfway to their destinations only to be deported back to Nigeria.

The aviation regulator condemned this practice, stating that it has caused significant distress to passengers and tarnished the reputation of Nigeria’s aviation industry.

NCAA’s Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu stated this in a statement cited by Vanguard on Thursday, April 3.

“These actions, which involve the refusal of boarding or denial of entry at intermediate or transit stops due to visa and travel restrictions, are completely unacceptable,” he said.

The NCAA emphasized that it is the responsibility of airlines to inform passengers of any potential barriers to their admissibility before they commence travel.

“Passengers should not be put in a position where they are denied entry or returned to Nigeria only upon arrival at transit stops,” Achimugu added.

Citing the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 (Part 19.21.1.1), the NCAA reminded airlines and their agents of their duty to ensure that travelers are aware of any potential entry restrictions before their departure.

“Airlines must take appropriate measures to screen and provide passengers with accurate, up-to-date information regarding their travel documents and visa requirements before issuing tickets or allowing boarding,” the statement read.

In light of these issues, the NCAA has announced immediate enforcement measures.

“Effective immediately, any airline found engaging in such practices will face regulatory action, including fines, suspension of flight operations, or other penalties deemed appropriate,” Achimugu warned.

The NCAA called on all international airlines operating in Nigeria to comply with these directives, stressing that maintaining the integrity and professionalism of the industry is crucial for ensuring passenger well-being.

Arik Air in 2024, airlifted 2,239,176 passengers between January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, a report sourced from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has stated.

The airline, which has been under the receivership of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, since 2017, despite its challenges, also operated 10,699 flights within the year under review, making it the second most active airline in terms of passenger traffic and flight operations in Nigeria, after Air Peace.

According to the report, the total number of air travellers in the domestic scene in 2024 was 11, 549,443 with inbound at 5,727,700 and outbound passengers at 5,821,743. This figure shows that Arik Air captured 19.3 per cent of the total passenger traffic for 2024, while it had 15.1 per cent of the total 70,543 flights operated by the 15 domestic airlines in the year under review.

The Executive Summary on international and domestic flight operations 2024, as captured by the NCAA, indicated that Arik Air had 1,112,358 and 1,126,818 as inbound and outbound passengers for 2024, respectively, making it a total of 2,239,176 passengers ferried in 2024.

Monthly breakdown of the passenger traffic indicated that Arik Air had 37,772 inbound passengers and another 38,987 as outbound passengers in January 2024, totalling 76,759 passengers. For February the airline recorded 38,217 as inbound and 39,209 as outbound, totalling 77,426; March, 37,183 as inbound and 37,642 as outbound, making it a total of 74,825; April, 31,326 as inbound and 31,971 as outbound, making 63,297.

Speaking on the development, General Secretary Aviation Safety Round Table Initiatives, Olumide Ohunayo, said: “Arik Air’s performance in 2024 stands out as exceptional, despite the airline being under AMCON receivership. The data released by the regulatory authority ranked Arik as second in domestic passenger traffic, moving 2,239,176 passengers—a testament to its resilience and strategic management under challenging conditions.

“With a 13.4 per cent market share out of the 11.5 million total domestic passengers, Arik Air’s sustained dominance highlights its strong operational efficiency. This result demonstrates Arik’s operational stability under Receivership despite financial constraints,distractive litigations,fleet limitations, and regulatory challenges, the airline continued to deliver reliable air travel services, showing effective route management and passenger demand optimization.

“It should be noted that Arik Air suffered severe disruptions due to a high court order grounding some of its aircraft last year when mediation was a better option to the instantaneous grounding by the executive.”

Meanwhile, MD of Top Brass Aviation Limited, Roland Iyayi, said: “Arik Air transporting 2.2 million passengers and securing the second position in Nigeria’s domestic market, ahead of competitors like Ibom Air (1.3 million), Max Air (915,918), and Aero Contractors (964,900) is a huge and massive achievement, considering the disruptions the airline had suffered under receivership.

“Arik Air’s performance is remarkable given its limited access to fresh capital, aging fleet, and regulatory hurdles tied to its receivership status.

“The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) strategic support deserves recognition for its crucial role in stabilizing Arik Air, ensuring its continued operations, and maintaining confidence among passengers. Without AMCON’s intervention, the airline would not have remained a key player in Nigeria’s aviation industry. Arik Air’s ability to thrive under receivership reaffirms AMCON’s commitment to preserving jobs, sustaining economic contributions, and ensuring safe, reliable airline services for Nigerian travelers.”

FCT, Abuja – A newly released report by the Ministerial Task Force on Illegal Private Charter Operations has exposed a staggering N120 billion revenue loss for the Nigerian government over the past decade.

The losses stem from a combination of illegal charter operations, regulatory gaps, and lax enforcement by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The report, commissioned by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo and reviewed, paints a picture of widespread security vulnerabilities, interagency coordination failures, and outdated policies crippling the aviation sector.

“Over the past decade, Nigeria lost an estimated N120 billion in statutory revenue from the sector due to regulatory loopholes,” the report stated.

It further named prominent entities such as Arik Air Ltd, BUA International Limited, Dominion Air Limited, Executive Jets Services, Max Air Ltd, the Rivers State Government, Julius Berger Nig. Ltd, and Nestoil Plc as involved in charter operations.

To address the crisis, the task force recommends a series of corrective measures, including the immediate closure and overhaul of the General Aviation Terminal in Abuja to rectify critical security deficiencies.

The controversial 22-year aircraft age limit, widely seen as hindering industry growth, is also slated for repeal.

The report further calls for a significant strengthening of the NCAA’s oversight capabilities to ensure strict compliance with aviation regulations. A new licensing framework for air charter brokers is also proposed to increase transparency and accountability within the sector.

“By implementing these measures, Nigeria can restore regulatory integrity, enhance safety, and position its aviation sector for long-term sustainability and global competitiveness,” the report concluded.

However, the task force’s findings and proposed solutions have drawn sharp criticism from aviation experts who question the government’s ability to enforce meaningful change.

John Ojikutu, aviation security expert and CEO of Centurion Security Limited, dismissed the task force’s efforts as “a waste of time,” placing the blame squarely on the NCAA’s failure to enforce existing regulations.

“Most of these charter aircraft are owned by political office holders or people who have something to do with it. It’s an indictment on the NCAA. When you’re talking about enforcement of regulation, it’s the NCAA,” Ojikutu asserted.

He also raised serious concerns about the regulation of foreign-registered aircraft operating within Nigeria.

“Most of these charter flights are foreign-registered aircraft. Have you been able to identify them? Who brought them in? What is the regulation on foreign-registered aircraft operating in this country? In my days, they could not operate for more than three months. There were specific airports they had to go to. If you brought them in, they had to stay at the customs airport. That was the law in those days,” he explained.

Ojikutu reiterated that powerful figures are shielding illegal flights, making effective enforcement a daunting challenge. “They are being protected,” he emphasized.

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Friday, said the Ibadan airport will be shut down for six months to enable the commencement of maintenance and upgrade works.

Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr Michael Achimugu, said this on X.

Achimugu stated: “Subject to new information, Ibadan airport may be shut down for six months for maintenance/upgrade, starting from early March.”

In June, President Bola Tinubu approved the move to upgrade the Ibadan Domestic Airport, Alakia, to an international airport.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State said this in Ibadan.

Makinde stated that upon completion of the airport upgrade, which includes the expansion and extension of the runway and the general upgrade of the facilities, the state will begin to receive international flights.

Also in January 2025, the governor stated the construction of the new international terminal as part of efforts to upgrade the facility to international standards.

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, yesterday gave Kenya Airways 48 hours to apologise for the maltreatment of a Nigerian passenger, Gloria Omisore, in Nairobi.

Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at NCAA, Mr Michael Achimugu, who disclosed this yesterday, said having summoned the airline over the incident, its team, comprising the Country Manager, James Nganga; Station Manager, Eric Mukira and Duty Manager, Ezenwa Ehumadu, admitted fault.

According to him, the airline’s team also agreed that the statement put out by them about the incident was not reflective of the facts of the matter.

Revealing the NCAA’s verdict over the incident on X, Achimugu stated: “The NCAA Consumer Protection Department thereby determined as follows: That Kenya Airways renders a public apology to the passenger and the NCAA.

“That the airline issues an updated official statement that reflects the true events that happened in Nairobi. Ms Gloria did not refuse to fly to London as claimed in that statement.

“The airline failed to admit that they permitted the passenger to purchase that ticket and that they failed to spot the problem from Lagos.

“The statement also fails to inform the general public that the lady only became angry when she was asked to wait another 10 hours without accommodation and care.

“The authority finds this very confusing and unacceptable. That the airline will refund and compensate the passenger for the avoidable humiliation she has suffered and the threats to her job.

“Kenya Airways has asked for 72 hours to revert, but the authority has given the airline 48 hours. Truth should not be that hard to publish, given how hastily the misleading statement was put out there.”

Recall that Kenya Airways had routed Omisore to travel from Nigeria through Nairobi, Paris and then to Manchester, the same route she had followed into the country.

As Omisore was returning to Manchester, Kenya Airways, however, abandoned her in Nairobi upon claims that she didn’t have a Schengen visa, leading to a heated exchange of words between  her and the airline’s official.

The video of the verbal altercation seen by Vanguard showed Omisore complaining about inhuman treatment by the airline, lamenting that she was not adequately taken care of, despite a 17-hour layover.

In the footage, Omisore said: “You will provide a sanitary towel. I am speaking to the Minister of Finance of Nigeria. I want a hotel, I need a sanitary towel. You will give me food tonight. Very wicked set of people. 17 hours layover. I have blood clot issues.”

However, a Kenya Airways staff was seen telling Omisore: “You can never enter our aircraft again. What kind of mannerism is this? Call your president. We will give you nothing.”

Clarifying the incident after the NCAA summoned the airline to its headquarters in Abuja, Kenya Airways claimed that Omisore resorted to inappropriate behaviour by removing and throwing three used sanitary pads at its employees.

The statement read: “The guest was travelling from Lagos to Paris, and Manchester. On arrival in Nairobi for her connecting flight (Nairobi-Paris), it was discovered that she did not have a SCHENGEN Visa, which is a requirement for her to enter any European Union country.

“She was offered an alternative to travel through London and onward to Manchester, which she refused. Upon further investigation, we have established that the video does not provide full context.

“Unhappy with this option, the guest demanded accommodation, which Kenya Airways does not provide in cases where boarding is denied due to visa requirements.

“It is the responsibility of passengers to ensure they have the necessary documentation for their journey. In a distressing turn of events, the guest resorted to inappropriate behaviour by removing and throwing three used sanitary pads at our employees.”