The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a strong letter of warning to the management and staff of Aero contractors over shoddy treatment of passengers. The move came after Aero canceled and Abuja-Calabar flight without notifying passengers. Passengers were forced to spend the night aboard an aircraft until they were later evicted by soldiers, and made to sleep on the floor of the airport.
The warning was conveyed in a letter dated December 20, 2013, and signed by NCAA’s Company Secretary, Mr Pollie Okoronkwo, on behalf of the Director-General, Captain Fola Akinkuotu. It was addressed to the airline’s CEO.
The statement emphasised that its investigation revealed that the airline failed in exercising the duty of care owed passengers in the event of delay and /or cancellation of the flight, saying it was a violation of Part 19.4 and Part 19.5 of NCARs 2012.
“Having taken into consideration the totality of circumstances surrounding the incident, the corrective action taken by you as well as the mitigating factors regarding the matter, we hereby commit the legal enforcement action to a warning. By this notice, you are seriously warned. This letter will be made a matter of records in accordance with extant law,” the statement said.
“We expect strict compliance with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations and your Disruption Management Manual in future,” Adurogboye added.
Aero was reported to the NCAA by aggrieved passengers through the Directorate of Consumer Protection.
The NCAA, in 2012, launched the passengers’ bill of rights, which seeks to protect the rights of passengers and the duties of passengers to airlines.