The Federal Government has summoned airline CEOs to address the escalating number of flight delays and cancellations during the festive season.

This move, announced by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), aims to alleviate passenger frustrations.

Chris Najomo, the NCAA’s Director-General, has shortened an important assignment to convene the emergency meeting on Friday, December 27.

Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, revealed this in a post on his X handle on Thursday, December 26.

Recounting his personal experience with flight delays, Achimugu shared the growing frustration among passengers.

“I walked into the scene this evening while trying to catch a flight myself. Passengers were really angry and threatened to become violent,” he stated.

To manage the situation, Achimugu intervened directly.

“I addressed them for about 20 minutes, explaining that I would confirm from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) if the weather was truly bad. I also clarified that airlines are not liable in cases of force majeure. Despite this, I ensured that the airline provided transportation back to the Central area and paid for accommodation for elderly passengers.”

Achimugu added that the airline agreed to compensate passengers with a 50 per cent rebate or cash refund, where applicable.

To streamline future complaints, he introduced passengers to the NCAA’s QR code system for lodging grievances.

“I told them to contact me if their issues remained unresolved by tomorrow morning,” he said.

This marks an intensification of the NCAA’s regulatory actions.

Achimugu noted, “A few days ago, we announced enforcement actions against five airlines. This is the first time in over a decade that the Consumer Protection Department is taking such steps.”

Furthermore, Achimugu disclosed that he had instructed NiMET to send daily weather updates directly to his office to verify airline claims about weather disruptions.

He also revealed his personal commitment to assisting passengers, including using his salary to aid indigent travellers awaiting refunds from struggling airlines.

The upcoming meeting with airline CEOs is expected to set stringent measures to ensure passenger satisfaction and compliance with aviation regulations.