The Senate has summoned the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development alongside the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA and airline operators to unravel the circumstances behind incessant flight delays and cancellations.

The invitation of the key stakeholders in the aviation sector is said to be aimed at finding lasting solutions to the problem.

The resolution followed a motion moved by Sen. Abdulfatai Buhari (APC, Oyo) during plenary on Wednesday, tagged “Incessant Delayed and Cancelled Flights by Airline Operators in Nigeria.”

While moving the motion, Buhari noted that a series of reports from both the print and electronic media showed incessant delays and cancellations of flights by airline operators in the country.

“This development is worrisome, as air travel is one of the most reliable, dependable and quicker means of transportation often undertaken for business and official purposes and to keep to other scheduled appointments, which are usually time-bound,” he said.

According to him, the unwarranted flight delays and cancellations would be counter-productive to the socio-economic growth and development of the country.

The lawmaker added that the quest for economic diversification and foreign direct investments, which are part of the current administration’s policy thrust, would remain an illusion if the country’s aviation industry fell short of global best practices.

Supporting the motion, Senate Minority Whip Abba Moro recalled his experience with Nigerian airlines and the negative impacts that they could have.

“I think that it is high time we took a very stern stance on some of these issues because it throws up the problem of our regulatory agencies,” he said.

Flight delays: Nigerian Senate summons Aviation Minister, NCAA, other key stakeholders