Stricter Measures Introduced to Tackle Airline Flight Cancellations and Delays
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has taken a decisive stand, declaring that airlines failing to meet flight schedules must now compensate passengers for the inconvenience caused. This announcement was made during a significant meeting with heads of agencies under the ministry in Abuja yesterday.
Minister Keyamo, recognizing the widespread challenges faced by Nigerians due to flight delays and cancellations, emphasized the imperative of enforcing existing laws to ensure that affected passengers receive due compensation.
“We are not deaf to the cries of Nigerians about delays and canceled flights. The law is there, and we are looking at how to enforce those laws for compensation of Nigerians who bear the brunt of the cancellation of flights and disrupting activities,” stated Minister Keyamo.
Acknowledging the potential complexities in penalizing airlines, he proposed a practical approach to avoid further complications. “The process of grounding the airline or taking the airlines to court will create more problems. So if the reason for the delay and cancellation of flight is their fault, they must pay compensation,” he asserted. Furthermore, he suggested a system where affected passengers could receive rebates when purchasing their next tickets.
A committee has been established to explore this mechanism and generate a code that passengers can use when acquiring subsequent tickets. Minister Keyamo emphasized the importance of passenger satisfaction and the overall safety of air travelers.
In a bid to increase transparency, Minister Keyamo directed the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to compile a weekly catalogue of canceled flights. Additionally, he tasked the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau with concluding all ongoing investigations into recent air accidents and mishaps within the next 10 days.
“For the recent incidents that happened recently, some minor, and others classified as serious incidents although there were no fatalities. The NSIB is investigating these incidents, and I have directed them that within 10 days from today they must submit their report of the incidents and what actually transpired,” Minister Keyamo declared, underscoring the urgency in addressing air safety concerns.
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