The introduction of Passengers’ Statement of Rights and Airlines Obligations by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) may not stop the rip-off of passengers by the domestic carriers, who exploit the poor enforcement of consumer protection regulations to exploit the passengers.
Many in the industry believe that it is not the non-introduction of the laws that is the problem but its enforcement.
Industry observers said that passengers who had been maltreated and exploited by the airlines had reported to the regulatory body redress but at the end the passengers end up distressed and more disappointed no attempt was made to even solve their problems.
A passenger told THISDAY on Wednesday how after buying a ticket to travel to Lagos from Owerri from one of the major airlines and a day before the trip he got a text message that said the airline had changed its aircraft and the new one was smaller than the initially planned plane so he would not be accommodated in the flight so he should reschedule his flight.
“I was angry. The flight was slated for 12.30 pm but I had to go to the airport by 7:00 am and when I arrived at the airline’s counter I gave the attendant the ticket; I did not tell him about the text message. He checked my ticket in the system and acknowledged it. I told him to sign it and he did,” he narrated.
The passenger further explained that if he had shown the attendant the message he would have been barred from travelling with that flight, and this showed that they planned to offload some passengers in that flight to accommodate those who just arrived the airport few minutes before the flight and who would pay more.
The passenger who works with one of the aviation agencies explained, “If you buy a ticket for N15,000 through online and you get that message and go for refund; the airline will quickly pay you because there is somebody standing and hoping he would get a flight that is ready to pay N35,000 for that ticket.
“NCAA knows about these pranks and had not done anything to stem it and it couldn’t say that it was the law that prevented it from doing anything over the years this obnoxious racket has lasted,” the passenger said.
At a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos on the new regulation, the Director General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren said, “The objective is for all of us to understand the content of the new rule and know that we now have a law and of course you also know that once you’ve broken it, appropriate sanctions await you”.
Industry insider and CEO of Belujane Konsult, Chris Aligbe, said that the Passengers’ Statement of Rights and Airlines Obligation, which is part of NCAA’s Economic Regulation, was not yet law.
“They just put them down there so that people will know but NCAA needed to pass these regulations through the Parliament and they will be approved and would become laws, so that they will become justiceable. We have said this many times since the past four years.
“If it becomes justiceable a passenger whose right is infringed by an airline can go to court; can appeal to the National Assembly and demand restitution. But it is only good that today, we have woken up to see the need for this.
“I know that initially the problem they had was safety and they have tackled safety with all their strength. Now they have begun to realise that this area of passenger right is very critical in the airline industry,” he added.
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