Aviation
CPC Clamps down on Aero Contractor
… over Violation of Passenger Rights
LAGOS – The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) yesterday announced that it had brought its regulatory powers to bear against Aero Contractors Airline, having found it culpable of gross disregard of the rights of passengers on its November 8, 2013 Abuja to Lagos bound flight AJ132.
To this end, it had ordered the airline to pay N41,000 each to the affected passengers within 30 days.
The Director-General of the agency, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in Lagos, said apart from the N41,000 compensation, Aero Contractors must also refund 25 per cent of the passengers’ ticket value for abandoning them at the airport overnight.
The compensation, she said, would make up for the inconveniences which the passengers suffered because the airline refused to provide reliefs that should have been provided during the period of delay, in line with the Passengers’ Bill of Rights (PBR), a regulation enacted by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) which is binding on all airlines operating in Nigeria.
She said: “Each of the passengers of the flight should be paid N5,000 for snacks and drinks due to them after one hour as well as meals and drinks due after two hours of delay; The passengers are also entitled to N1, 000 for two free telephone calls, SMS or email; N10, 000 for return transportation to and from the airport; N25,000 for hotel accommodation; and 25 per cent of their ticket value for the cancellation of the flight without notice.
“The council also directed the airline to review and submit to it within 90 days, its Disruption/Crises Management Manual in line with the PBR; establish a customer service platform in each airport in Nigeria and its other locations to facilitate on-the-spot resolution of consumer complaints and report to the Council within 180 days.”
Atoki added: “They are also to develop and submit to the Council within 30 days a prototype statement, which Aero Contractors will be presenting to passengers at check-in, in respect of payment of the relevant refund/compensation when flights are cancelled without notice and in the event of class downgrade.”
Aero contractors Airlines was also directed to present to the council within 30 days, written assurances in line with Section 10 of the CPC Act that it would refrain from a continuation of any conduct which is detrimental to the interests of consumers.
Explaining the rationale for the order, the CPC boss pointed out that, in line with its mandate to protect and promote the interest of consumers, the council carried out an investigation on the airline’s reported action of November 8, 2013, which left 39 passengers of its Flight AJ132 stranded overnight at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.
According to her, the panel of investigators, which considered responses from the affected passengers and the airline, “substantiated the allegation of violation of the CPC Act, the Passenger Bill of Rights (PBR) in the Consumer Protection Regulations Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCAR) and other extant consumer protection enactments.”
She disclosed that the panel’s key findings included the fact that the flight was delayed for 15 hours without due care for the affected passengers, contrary to the provisions of the PBR and that the crisis management processes and procedure of Aero Contractors fell short of international best practices and certainly did not ameliorate the traumatic experiences of the affected passengers.
Other findings, according to her, are “that the mechanism or structure to inform consumers of their rights be put in place by Aero Contractors is inadequate as it presupposes that passengers must first ask for their rights before they are informed; that apart from the offer of complimentary tickets to affected passengers to any destination of their choice, which does not replace their entitlement under PBR, no apology was tendered.”
Atoki, also noted that there was inconclusive evidence on prevention of future occurrences and that Aero Contractors did not take adequate measures to provide redress for its passengers whose rights had been infringed upon, thereby contravening the CPC Act, the PBR and international best practice.
Meanwhile, a Professor of Geo-physics, Charles Ofoegbu, has threatened to sue the management of Arik Air for leaving the service door of the aircraft half-open on board, risking the lives of about 100 passengers.
Ofoegbu, who lost his wife Beatrice, in the ill-fated Sosoliso Aircraft that claimed about 107 lives in 2005, complained bitterly about the rot in the aviation sector, as he said the sector operates without effective regulations.
The professor also said the management of Arik airline would have to explain why the Sunday evening’s flight destined for Dakar via Accra was rudely terminated without an alternative arrangement.
While narrating his ordeal to journalists in his Abuja residence yesterday, Ofoegbu explained the flight he boarded from Abuja to Dakar with ticket number 7254199319355 abandoned him and 45 other passengers in Accra.
“As soon as the pilot took off, the aircraft was making so much noise. Some people thought it was the kitchen appliances that were rattling; all the passengers were pressing the alarm button because we were visibly bothered, before the pilot announced that one of the doors was poorly closed and that he noticed that air was entering from the service door, which means it wasn’t closed. He announced that he was going back to land so that the ground staff could close the service door properly.”
Ofoegbu said when the aircraft finally landed to offload the Accra passengers very late, and the Arik crew announced that the flight had been terminated as they ordered passengers out of the aircraft.
– THIS DAY
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced stringent measures against pilots and crew members who work for multiple airlines concurrently, a practice it describes as a serious safety violation.
In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Acting Director-General, Chris Nojomo warned that pilots operating for more than one airline without specific safety protocols pose significant risks to Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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The directive, titled “Prohibition of Ad-Hoc Flight Operators for Multiple Airlines,” noted that NCAA surveillance reports revealed multiple cases of unauthorized cross-airline work by flight crews, which the agency now plans to address.
According to the NCAA, simulator and proficiency checks endorsed on a pilot’s license are valid only for the specific airline and training program under which they were issued.
The letter stated, “With effect from the date of issuance of this directive, all operators and holders of pilot licenses are informed that this action will be treated as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”
The NCAA’s new policy, effective November 11, 2024, warns that violators will face strict enforcement actions. Moving forward, simulator renewals will also be filed directly with individual operators, further tightening the agency’s oversight.
In a bold step to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s position in Nigeria’s aviation industry, Governor Umo Eno announced the addition of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to the fleet of the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, on Friday.
The two aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, mark a milestone in the state’s commitment to strategic investment, with the governor stressing that the acquisitions were fully funded by state resources without loans from financial institutions.
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At a welcoming ceremony attended by local officials and residents, Governor Eno emphasized his administration’s mission to drive revenue-generating ventures for Akwa Ibom rather than relying on debt.
He called the move a step toward breaking the cycle of government investments that only serve to pay off loans, vowing that the state’s funds would go towards projects that bring returns to the people.
The governor challenged Ibom Air to turn a profit by 2025, stating that the airline’s management should ensure routes in and out of Uyo remain dependable to prioritize the needs of Akwa Ibom travelers.
“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use state funds for the benefit of all, not for private gain,” he said, noting that his administration aims to ensure that public investments deliver real value to the state.
Governor Eno also provided updates on several ambitious state projects, including an 18-story commercial complex underway in Lagos and an upcoming 4-star hotel in Abuja, both designed to generate revenue for Akwa Ibom.
Plans for an international market in Ikot Ekpene and the phased opening of a new terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport were also announced, with the airport terminal set for partial operation by December and full activation in early 2025.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, commended Eno’s financial management, highlighting that the administration has avoided seeking loans over the past 18 months despite launching significant development projects.
Ibom Air’s Chairman, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, expressed appreciation for the state’s investment in the airline, which has seen its fleet grow to nine aircraft.
Jacob credited the governor’s support with enabling Ibom Air to boost flight capacity, meeting demand on popular routes such as Uyo-Lagos-Abuja.
Captain Mfon Udom, CEO of Ibom Air, stated that the expanded fleet will improve efficiency and allow the airline to scale up its operations in time for the Christmas travel season.
Udom also noted that the airline anticipates the delivery of nine additional Airbus planes, which will further strengthen Ibom Air’s market presence.
Traditional leaders, including HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon III of Okobo Local Government Area, lauded the governor’s leadership, pledging continued support from the traditional institutions.
Anie Essienette, Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, noted that demand for the airline’s services has surged nationwide, with the new CRJ900 aircraft helping meet this increasing need while the airline awaits further fleet expansion.
Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo is of the view that there’s no cause for alarm over the approval of a private airstrip for a religious organisation, which attracted the attention of the House of Representatives.
He took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Friday morning to shed light on the subject, and explained that it could be a great source of revenue for Federal Government.
Keyamo asserted that the issue was raised by an honourable member at plenary, out of ignorance, but was “unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into.”
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Keyamo expressed confidence that by the time his Ministry was done enlightening them, “they will be satisfied”.
He added that “the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.”
Keyamo wrote, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.
“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.
“Whilst the intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.
“By the time we explain to them how private air strips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied.
“The responsibility of the owners of private air strips is just to build the runway and terminal building. But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations.
“It is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in ALL AIRPORTS and AIRSTRIPS IN NIGERIA. And the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.
“No object flies into Nigeria without the prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan, eg, where it is taking off from and where it intends to land.
“And I have recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country MUST first land at our international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go. So, it is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility. The Federal Government does not permit that. You will not be cleared for take off or landing without prior request and authorisation.
“I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.
“I attach herewith for public consumption the NAMA Act that gives exclusive control of the Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.”
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