The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said, henceforth, it will suspend, fine and carry out other regulatory actions against foreign airlines who sell tickets to passengers only to airlift them halfway their destinations and deport them back to Nigeria.
It stated that it had received several complaints about the issue that has caused pain to travellers, BusinessDay reports.
The NCAA, in a statement, said these actions, which involved the refusal of boarding/entry of intermediate/transit stops to some Nigerians due to visa/travel restrictions, are causing significant distress to passengers and tarnishing the reputation of the aviation industry in Nigeria.
The statement signed by Michael Achimugu, the Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, said the NCAA finds such policies completely unacceptable, further describing it as the responsibility of airlines to inform passengers about any potential barriers to their admissibility at their destinations before they commence their travel.
He further stated that passengers must not be put in a position where they are denied entry or returned to Nigeria only on arrival at international/transit stops.
He reiterated that this is in line with the provision of Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 Part 19.21.1.1, which states that all airlines and their agents shall ensure that passengers are informed of any potential admissibility issues or travel restrictions in advance of their departure.
He said, “Airlines must take appropriate measures to screen and provide passengers with accurate, up to date information regarding their travel documents and visa requirements before issuing a ticket and proceeding to board them.”
Consequently, the NCAA has informed international airlines operating in Nigeria that it would no longer tolerate these occurrences.
“Effective immediately, any airline found to be engaging in such practices will be subject to regulatory action, including but not limited to fines, suspension of flight operations or other measures deemed appropriate.”
