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The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA through the Directorate
of Consumer Protection (DCP) has resolved 55,000 complaints in almost two
years.
However, some of these complaints were roll over cases
from the previous years but were eventually resolved alongside subsequent ones.
According to a statement by the General Manager of the
agency’s Public Affairs, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke , ‘In 2013, a total number of 15,839
complaints were received from 13,954 International airlines operations and from
the Domestic airlines 382 from 65,368 operations. While, between January and
September 2014 there was a drastic reduction in complaints as the Authority
received 5,578 from 11,683 foreign operations and domestic 184 from 51,212
operations.
These complaints have a preponderance of missing baggage
cases from foreign carriers which was 14,828 and 202 from domestic carriers in
2013.In 2014; there was an obvious decline with foreign carriers having 5,428
cases and 97 for domestic airlines.’
Ndubuoke further explained that delayed flights on
International routes were 2341 and 24,358 complaints from local routes in
2013.On the other hand; in 2014 the international airlines had 3288 an upward
movement due to some certain extraneous factors while the local airlines had
24,111 a marginal decrease.
Similarly, there were 131 complaints arising from
cancelled flights from the international carriers and 229 from the domestic
carriers in 2013.A total number of 345 flights were cancelled in 2014 while on
the domestic flights we had 167.
Overbooking and Denied boarding on foreign operations had
57 complaints and 63 for local operations. The subsequent year 2014 saw foreign
operations providing 31 complaints and the domesticate operators had likewise
(31) a reduction from the previous year.
In addition, Domestic operators had a total of 97 mishandled/misrouted
baggage where (76) were found. While
5,428 on international routes and 22,895 were found.
Other complaints such as pilferage and discourtesy on the
international flights received a total number of 109 complaints in 2013 and 101
on domestic. These complaints reduced in 2014 to 83 on international route and
59 on the local route.
With the attendant increase in the volume of passenger
traffic, the regulatory Authority has correspondingly strengthened the
Directorate of Consumer Protection (DCP). A wide range of enlightenment
campaign was embarked upon by the NCAA and it is ongoing.
This was done by extensive training of the corps of
Consumer Protection Officers to augment their capacity to monitor flight
operations at the various airports. In addition, they were skilled in receipt,
processing, mediation and resolution of complaints from aggrieved passengers.
At the end, Consumer Protection Officers were posted to
all the Airports in the country. This is to ensure that passengers derive
maximum comfort in all their trips. To all intent and purposes, the airlines
are now very much aware of their responsibilities to their passengers and
complaints are dwindling.
As a corollary to the increase in consumer protection
activities and the success rate of positive closure of complaints and attendant
compensations, these have caused a multiplier effect on the number of foreign
airlines operating into Nigeria. It rose from 29 in 2013 to 34 in 2014 while
other applications are receiving attention.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken a
decisive and strong approach to ensure all airlines operating in and out of
Nigeria must ensure safe, secure and comfortable operations. Passengers parting
with their hard earn cash must get value for their money while all the rules of
engagement on the tickets must be continuously upheld.
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