The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Michael Achimugu, has said believable data gathering and presentation has been a stumbling block to the growth and development of the aviation sector in Nigeria.
He particularly mentioned the case of the NCAA, explaining that the aviation regulatory body should be the custodian of accurate data gathering for the entire aviation industry.
Speaking on the conflicting figure on on-time departure data churned out by airlines particularly when most carriers are guilty of incessant flight delays and cancellations that have taken the joy out of air travel, Achimugu said there is a huge data problem in the country.
Achimugu, who spoke at the NCAA Consumer Protection National Stakeholders Summit in Lagos with the theme: ‘Achieving Increased Adoption of Digital Technology in Air Travel Customer Complaint Management: The Regulatory Perspective’, accepted responsibility for lack of accurate data which he admitted was done manually.
His words: “We take responsibility for this. We are implementing our method of data collection. We will be more efficient. There is a data problem in the NCAA. There are discrepancies in data collation in the aviation industry and the airline sector.”
For airlines, appropriate use of data is essential for achieving faster, more fuel-efficient routes, reduced cancellations and delays, operational improvements, increased passenger satisfaction and loyalty, more efficient airspace utilisation, passenger demand, travel patterns and market trends to identify profitable and new routes, optimise their flight schedules and fit capacity to demand.
While the global aviation industry, including those from other African countries, has benefited hugely from the use of data, the reverse is the case in Nigeria.
He reiterated that over the years, the problem with meetings like this has been the lack of follow-through, noting that there has been a lot of talk but no action. “Under the leadership of Capt. Chris Najomo, today’s NCAA does not intend to become a mere statistic in the dustbin of history.
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.”
He urged 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.
