NCAA DG to hold emergency meeting with airlines CEOs over flight delays, cancellations

Following widespread outcry and outrage over incessant cases of flight delays and cancellations during this festive season and before, Chris Najomo, the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has scheduled an emergency meeting with airlines’ Chief Executive Officers (CEOs).

The meeting, according to Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA will take place today, Friday, December 27, 2024, at the NCAA Annex, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Achimugu, who disclosed details of the meeting in a lengthy post on his X platform late on Thursday in response to outrage on X about the rampant cases of flight delays and cancellations noted that the DG is cutting short an important assignment to hold the meeting in a testament to the fact that the Authority cares.

“Tomorrow morning (Today) in Lagos, the Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo is cutting short an important assignment to meet with all the CEOs of domestic airlines in Nigeria. This is proof that the Authority cares!

He recalled that a few days ago the NCAA announced it would enforce action against five airlines, adding that this will be the first time in more than 10 years that the Consumer Protection Department of the NCAA is taking such action.

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He said he had written to NiMET to begin sending daily weather reports directly to his office, which would enable me to ascertain quickly if an airline lies about the weather.

“I have immediately written to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) to begin to send directly to my office, daily weather reports to enable me ascertain quickly if an airline lies about weather.

“A lot of disruptions are not caused by the airlines. The solutions must be holistic, and my Honourable Minister Festus Keyamo has shown sterling leadership by resolving the capacity problem that crippled the industry for years.

“Now, he is focusing on calibrating sunset airports with instrument landing systems, et al. That way, certain airports will not refuse to clear airlines after dark. He has broken the industry from the doldrums of decadence it was forced into. Be patient with him. The industry will not be perfect in just one year, but significant progress has been made” he added.

By: Babajide Okeowo

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