The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA has revealed that air passengers would soon start getting 100% refunds immediately an airline cancels its flight.
This is aimed at checking flight disruptions which have been a regular feature in airline operations across the country, with air passengers going through harrowing experiences and delays before they can get their refunds, in the event of any flight cancellation.
The NCAA Director General, Capt. Musa Nuhu, said this on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, said this would become effective once a new regulation in the pipeline was signed into law.
Capt. Nuhu spoke against the backdrop of the two-day warning strike declared by labour unions in the aviation sector on Monday, which made many passengers have their flights delayed or miss such flights outrightly.
According to him, over a billion naira in aviation earnings was being lost to flight cancellations and delays but did not give the time frame to quantify the amount.
Nuhu said: “It should be immediate. We are currently reviewing our regulations to review what’s done in the past that gives some days for a refund if my flight is canceled.
“What we have in the new regulation that will be signed into law very soon is that if you cancel my flight, you should put me on another flight or give me the option of getting a refund immediately, so I can make other plans.
“Without the passengers, we don’t exist. The passengers are those who pay our salaries. The majority of the generated revenue of the NCAA, 80% or more, is from the 5% paid by the passengers. So, they pay our salaries.” He added.