The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered Air Peace to provide a compensation package to passengers affected by a delayed Lagos-Enugu flight on Monday. According to the NCAA's preliminary investigation, the airline sent passengers the wrong notification, leading to the delay. The flight, which was initially scheduled for 6:45 am, was delayed until 4:50 pm, causing inconvenience to passengers, including a human rights activist and lawyer, Inibehe Effiong.
Effiong had accused Air Peace of irresponsibility and impunity, stating that the delay would cause him to miss a scheduled court appearance in Enugu State. He claimed that he arrived at the airport at 5:50 am, only to be informed that the flight had been delayed. Effiong also alleged that the airline sent a second reminder to passengers at 2:01 am on Monday, despite knowing that the flight was not going to depart as scheduled. This move sparked widespread criticism, with Effiong questioning the regulatory capabilities of the NCAA.
The NCAA's Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, responded to Effiong's allegations, stating that the authority could not be described as incapable simply because a passenger's flight was disrupted. Achimugu emphasized that the NCAA would investigate the disruption and expressed empathy with Effiong, adding that the incident was not how the industry should operate. He also revealed that the NCAA had urged Air Peace to have a buffer aircraft to mitigate extreme disruptions.
Further investigation by the NCAA found that the flight was disrupted due to the ripple effect of Sunday night's disruptions. The airline claimed that passengers were informed about the reschedule, but Effiong countered that the notification he received asked passengers to come early for the flight. The NCAA spokesman, Achimugu, confirmed that the airline's Station Manager and Duty Manager admitted to sending the wrong notification and that passengers should have been told about the reschedule.
The NCAA has asked Air Peace to come up with a compensation package for the affected passengers, in compliance with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023. Achimugu warned that if the airline fails to provide compensation and duty of care to the passengers, heavy sanctions would follow. He emphasized that timely and honest information is key, and there was a gap in this regard. The incident highlights the need for airlines to be transparent and accountable in their operations.
According to the NCAA's summary of domestic airline disruptions for August 2026, Air Peace recorded 1,330 delays out of 1,864 flights, or 71.4 per cent. However, the airline disputed the figures, stating that it operated 2,564 flights in the month and that the NCAA's data left out more than 700 flights. The airline also claimed that internal factors accounted for only about 15 per cent of its delays.
The NCAA's directive to Air Peace to compensate passengers is a significant step towards ensuring that airlines are held accountable for their operations. The incident highlights the need for regulatory bodies to be proactive in addressing issues affecting passengers. Key points include:
Key points
- The NCAA has directed Air Peace to provide a compensation package to passengers affected by the delayed Lagos-Enugu flight.
- The airline's failure to provide adequate notification to passengers led to the delay and subsequent inconvenience.
- The incident highlights the need for airlines to be transparent and accountable in their operations.
