…stop patronising poor service airlines, explore better options, Authority tells air passengers
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has disclosed that seven airlines were sanctioned in 2025 for various violations of passenger rights, warning that stricter enforcement and more penalties will follow in 2026 as part of efforts to improve service quality across the aviation sector.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, made this known in a statement posted on his official X handle on Tuesday, where he also urged air travellers to stop repeatedly patronising airlines that consistently offer poor services and instead explore better alternatives available in the market.
“Flight delays and cancellations will never end. Not in Nigeria, not on earth. What we can do is bring them down to the barest minimum, but more importantly, enforce the regulations by ensuring that airlines provide the care that passengers are entitled to during a disruption. We will also sanction airlines a lot in 2026. 7 were sanctioned in 2025, but we will do more in 2026,” he said.
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According to Achimugu, competition in the aviation industry exists to give passengers the power of choice, stressing that continued patronage of poorly performing airlines does not encourage service improvement.
“I would like to encourage air travellers to learn to use alternative airlines if dissatisfied with the services of a particular airline, not just for domestic flights, but especially for international flights where a lot of alternatives exist,” he said.
He cited several international carriers operating in and out of Nigeria, noting that passengers are not limited to one gateway or airline. Achimugu pointed out that Air Algeria, which recently commenced operations in Nigeria, offers faster transit to Europe, while airlines such as Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, Ethiopian Airlines, RwandAir and Turkish Airlines provide multiple routing options.
“The reason competition exists is to ensure that passengers enjoy the power of choice. Stop going back to an airline you complain about eternally. It makes no sense and does not even help to force them to improve the quality of service they offer,” he stated.
Achimugu explained that airlines rely heavily on data analytics and can easily identify repeat passengers, noting that meaningful consumer action, including boycotts, can influence service standards more effectively than endless complaints.
While reaffirming the NCAA’s commitment to protecting passengers’ rights, he stressed that travellers must also understand the different business models adopted by airlines.
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“If you require better service, simply try options. It is not possible that all airlines operate at the same level, no matter how passionately you complain.
“Passengers must also understand that while they are the reason the industry exists in the way that it does, all airlines are also business entities established on different business models. For some, it is cheaper airfares.
“For others, high airfares, but better travel experience (more modern aircraft, better food, wifi, in-flight entertainment, comfort, etc). Some airlines would give you more baggage allowance, while some would charge low fares, but you must pay for every kilogram of baggage,” he said.
He added that flight delays and cancellations are a global reality and cannot be completely eliminated, but can be reduced to the barest minimum through effective regulation and strict compliance with consumer protection rules.
“What we can do is enforce regulations to ensure airlines provide the care passengers are entitled to during disruptions. We will also sanction airlines a lot more in 2026,” Achimugu said.
Seven airlines, both local and foreign, were sanctioned in 2025 for offences ranging from poor handling of passengers’ baggage and refund failures to maltreatment of travellers and violations of delay and cancellation regulations.
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Among the sanctioned airlines, Qatar Airways was fined ₦5 million on November 19 for the inhumane treatment of a Nigerian passenger. Ethiopian Airlines was also sanctioned in February for infractions that included failure to process passenger refunds.
In September, Kenya Airways was fined over passenger rights violations involving a Nigerian traveller.
Air Peace was sanctioned in February for violating Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023, with offences including failure to refund passengers within stipulated timelines, non-responsiveness to regulatory directives, mishandled baggage, and issues related to flight delays and cancellations.
Other airlines sanctioned include Arik Air, Aero Contractors, and Royal Air Maroc for various consumer rights violations.
Meanwhile, the NCAA has issued a fresh warning to domestic airlines over persistent flight delays and failure to provide adequate passenger care, particularly during the busy December travel period.
Achimugu disclosed that the warning followed an enforcement visit by NCAA officials to the Abuja operations of three domestic airlines, Xejet, Rano Air, and United Nigeria Airlines on Monday.
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He said the authority observed that some airlines were not providing timely and honest information to passengers during delays and were deliberately evading the provision of light refreshments after two hours, as required by regulations.
Describing the practice as unacceptable, Achimugu stressed that airlines must comply fully with consumer protection provisions, warning that continued violations would attract sanctions.
