The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has warned domestic airlines that tougher sanctions will be imposed over repeated flight delays and poor handling of passengers.
The warning was issued on Thursday by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, in a post shared on his official X handle.
Achimugu said the aviation regulator would no longer tolerate persistent inefficiencies by airlines, especially where delays occur repeatedly without proper communication to passengers.
He said, “We will be pushing for stiffer penalties against domestic airlines for chronic delays. We have protected operators, stood for them, explained for them, been insulted for them, and supported them because it is the right thing to do.”
He added that although many flight disruptions are not always caused by airlines, recent incidents have made tougher actions necessary.
“The majority of flight disruptions are not caused by the airlines, but recent events justify the need for heavier ramifications where there is recurrent inefficiency,” he said.
Achimugu noted that the level of support given to airline operators by the Federal Government and aviation authorities should reflect in better service delivery.
According to him, “When an industry is supported by the government in the way that President Bola Tinubu has done, in the way that the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has done, in the way that the DGCA, Capt. Chris Najomo has done, the least expectation of reciprocity is for remarkable improvements to reflect in flight operations.”
While acknowledging the difficult operating environment faced by airlines, Achimugu said some shortcomings could no longer be excused.
“One understands the challenging operating environment that operators have to meander in, but there are some lapses that are inexcusable,” he stated.
He stressed that poor communication during flight delays and cancellations remains a major problem, despite repeated warnings to airlines.
“Immeasurable times, I have stressed the need for airlines to improve communication during flight delays and cancellations. I have stressed the need to comply with the regulations in the areas of HOTAC and First Needs Compensation,” he said.
Achimugu added that poor information management has contributed significantly to rising tensions at airports.
“The failure to manage information properly, as well as poor passenger handling, has been responsible for the majority of passenger violence at our airport terminals,” he said.
Drawing from international examples, he cited a recent sanction in the United States.
“Not too long ago, the US authorities fined Jet Blue airline to the tune of $2m for chronic delayed flights, the first of its kind in the US,” he said.
He explained that aviation regulations may need to change as new challenges emerge in the sector.
“Regulations may evolve as challenges take expression and impact the industry,” Achimugu stated.
He assured passengers and operators that the NCAA remains committed to fairness and accountability.
“The NCAA is committed to protecting the rights of all stakeholders, and a review that strengthens the Authority to enforce compliance for both passengers and operators has to be done,” he said.
The warning comes amid growing complaints by passengers over frequent delays across the country.
NCAA data showed that domestic airlines operated 17,731 flights between July and September 2025, an increase from 15,989 flights during the same period in 2024. Flight cancellations dropped to 80 in the third quarter of 2025, compared with 251 cancellations recorded a year earlier.
Despite the improvement, several incidents drew public anger. In April 2025, Air Peace suspended operations following a strike by Nigeria Meteorological Agency workers, leaving passengers stranded at airports in Lagos, Abuja and other cities.
In May 2025, passengers complained of repeated delays on Max Air flights, with services from Kaduna and Kano pushed late into the night without clear communication.
In June 2025, United Nigeria Airlines also faced backlash after a Lagos to Abuja flight was delayed for over 10 hours, with passengers saying they received no official updates during the wait.
