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…Operators resilient despite challenges –FG
By Chinelo Obogo, [email protected]
Over the years, passengers have expressed frustration over persistent flight delays, cancellations, harassment at airports by security officials and poor in-flight service. To tackle these problems, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Agency (NCAA) hosted a stakeholder summit this week in Lagos, with the theme, “Achieving Increased Adoption of Digital Technology in Air Travel Customer Complaint Management: The Regulatory Perspective,” to have conversations on how these debilitating issues can be resolved in such a way that would ensure inclusivity and fairness.
The regulatory agency said that all stakeholders – airlines, passengers, and airport operators – must be treated equitably.
A lawyer, First Isa, who was one of the facilitators at the summit, said he carried out a passenger survey of frequent flyers, and the most common complaints passengers have are frequent flight delays, cancellations, poor service, and unwillingness for airlines to refund on a cancelled flight, among others. He said many passengers complain that when an airline cancels a flight, the refund processes are often very slow and cumbersome. Overbooking is another persistent issue which he spoke about. He said when airlines overbook passengers, they often do not make provision for an alternative, which is always very frustrating.
On the issue of hidden charges when buying fl ight tickets, Isa said it is frustrating that airlines often advertise lower initial prices on their websites, only for the passenger to discover hidden charges on checkout. “For transparency’s sake, airlines should clearly state the total cost upfront, including all taxes and fees,” he said.
Another major issue he noted is the decline in in-flight service. He said since the pandemic, many airlines have resorted to providing subpar snacks and beverages, often limited to biscuits, snacks, or candy, describing this ‘lack of creativity’ as disappointing, especially considering the high cost of air travel. “When I pay as high as N175,000 for a 45-minute flight, the airline should provide a variety of food and drink options for me,” he said.
He also spoke on poor customer service, particularly towards disabled individuals, citing cases involving three international airlines which he is currently handling in court and whose staff mistreated passengers living with disabilities. He said such mistreatment reflects poorly on the airlines involved. “Airline owners must take responsibility for the actions of their staff. They should ensure that employees are properly trained and policies should be in place to prevent discrimination,” he said.
NCAA’s position
Responding to Isa’s commentary, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Micheal Achimugu, said that while it is understandable that passengers may become frustrated when there are flight disruptions and demand that airlines be sanctioned, it is important to find out first, whether the airline fulfilled its obligations, such as providing refreshments or accommodations when necessary. He said while there may be instances of non-compliance, it would be unfair to generalise and criticise the entire industry. “Nigerian airlines, despite operating in challenging conditions, are doing well. In fact, international airlines have expressed surprise at the rate of ticket refund in Nigeria. Let us not forget that airlines are businesses, and passengers also have responsibilities. For example, if a travel agent fails to notify a client of a flight change or cancellation, the airline cannot be solely blamed. By fostering strong relationships between airlines, travel agents, and passengers, we can work together to improve the overall travel experience,” Achimugu said.
Travel agents don’t give airlines their clients’ details
Reacting to Achimugu’s comments, the second deputy president of the National Association of Travel Agents (NANTA), Damiduro Tokunbo, said that as a travel agent, he often avoids providing passenger contact information when booking a ticket for his clients because he believes it’s his responsibility to represent his clients’ interests and ensure they receive timely notifications and assistance where necessary.
He said though he receives emails and SMS alerts on behalf of his clients and he notifies them of any flight disruption, there have been instances where airlines send the message very late and by then, it would be difficult to reach the client. “Airlines may blame some travel agents for being the reason why passengers are not usually notified on time about any change in plans, but it’s important for the airlines to realize that we are partners in the travel industry, therefore we need to work together and communicate more effectively,” he said.
Airlines respond
The Director, Airline Services of Ibom Air, Amaka Echetabu, who spoke for the airlines, said if a travel agent puts his phone number or email in a customer’s contact details, the airline would send any notification of a flight cancellation or delay there, and would not be held accountable when customers complain about not receiving any information.
“We are going to send the message to the travel agent, and it is the travel agent’s responsibility to make sure that the customer gets that information. Most of the time, when the customer comes and they are screaming at us for not letting them know that their flight is cancelled; we don’t tell them anything without evidence. We actually go into our system, bring out the message that was sent, and highlight the email address that the person is looking for. There is no magic around it. If the customers’ contact details are not in his booking, we are constrained as to what we can do. We can’t do much except communicate with the person who is represented on it and it is that person’s responsibility to communicate with the customer,” she said.
Passenger rights
Achimugu said the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NIG. CARs) 2023 Part 19 is designed to enhance passenger satisfaction and create a level playing field for airlines as the framework gives guidelines on what should be done when passengers are faced with issues such as flight cancellations, delays and poor services from airlines and airports.
“When there is going to be a delay, passengers must be informed 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time, and when a flight is delayed for two hours, the passenger is entitled to refreshments. If a flight is delayed beyond 10 pm till 4 am, or at a time when the airport is closed at the point of departure or final destination, the airline must provide transportation and hotel accommodation for the passenger. A passenger has the right to be compensated after a six-hour delay for domestic flights and four hours for international flights. A passenger is also entitled to compensation if a notice of flight cancellation was not given earlier than 24 hours for domestic flights or seven days for international flights. The compensation is 25 percent of the fares or passenger ticket price for all flights within Nigeria and 30 percent of the passenger ticket price for all international flights.
“When passengers are offered re-routing to their final destination on an alternative flight, the arrival time of which does not exceed the scheduled arrival time of the flight originally booked by one hour (in respect of domestic flights) or three hours (in respect of all international flights), the operating airline may reduce the compensation provided to the passenger by 50 percent. If an airline has a schedule change, it must provide the passenger with notice of the change not later than 12 hours before the time of the departure for domestic flights and not later than 14 days for international flights.
“If an airline places a passenger in a class lower than that for which the ticket was purchased, it shall immediately reimburse the difference to the passenger in accordance with the mode of payment within 30 days from the date of travel, plus 30% of the price of the ticket for all domestic flights immediately, and 50% of the price of the ticket for all international flights within 14 days. Reimbursement to the passenger shall be made by mode of payment. If the passenger pays for his or her flight ticket in cash over the counter, the reimbursement must be made immediately for domestic flights or within 14 days for international flights. If by electronic bank transfer, bank orders, or bank cheques, travel vouchers, or other services, reimbursement shall be made within 14 days.
“For people living with disabilities, an airline or its agent or a tour operator shall not refuse to accept a reservation for a flight departing from or arriving at an airport provided that the person concerned has a valid ticket and reservation. A person with reduced mobility’s mobility equipment is presumed to have been lost, if within a period of seven days for domestic flights and 21 days for international flights, counted from the time the passenger should have received the same, the mobility equipment is not delivered to the passenger”.
