The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has initiated enforcement action against five airlines (two international and three domestic operators).

They are to be sanctioned for various violations of Part 19 of the NCAA regulations, including non-payment of refunds within the stipulated time frame, non-responsiveness to the NCAA’s directives, missing luggage, manhandled luggage, short-landed baggage, delayed and cancelled flights, among others.

The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection (NCAA), Mr Michael Achimugu, made the disclosure yesterday.

He said that although airlines are not always responsible for flight disruptions, NCAA regulations stipulate actions that airlines must take during disruptions. Failure to comply attracts various levels of sanctions.

Recall that the authority recently warned that it will initiate sanctions if airlines fail to pay refunds within the stipulated time frame of 14 days for online ticket purchases and immediate cash refunds for tickets purchased by cash.

The incessant disruptions this Yuletide, he said, has caused a surge in passenger complaints about delays and cancellations.

He, however, defended the airlines for most of the cancellations. “We all know that this is harmattan season, so there is poor visibility. Flights must get cancelled. This is force majeure, and the airlines do not owe passengers anything in those instances.

The enforcement we are initiating today is on cases where the airline is deemed to have been at fault. More will come,” he said.

Achimugu also assured that the Authority will be summoning the CEOs of all airlines this week to a meeting over flight disruptions and regulatory breaches.

While Achimugu did not reveal the airlines whose sanctions he signed today, sources close to the Authority disclosed that they are Ethiopian Airways, Royal Maroc Airlines, Arik Air, Aero Contractors, and Air Peace.