“$170 for International Trip”: NCAA Orders Airlines to Reward Passengers for Leaving Their Baggage
- NCAA issued a directive to all airlines to comply fully with the First Need reimbursement policy for passengers affected by short-landed baggage.
- Passengers whose baggage does not arrive with them are entitled to compensation of N10,000 for domestic flights and $170 for international trips
- NCAA Director Michael Achimugu emphasised that non-compliance would no longer be tolerated and called on airlines to adhere to the regulations
Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has issued a strong warning to all domestic and international airlines operating in Nigeria, requiring them to completely comply with the First Need reimbursement policy for passengers affected by risk penalties or short-landed cargo.
Source: Getty Images
In a news release issued to reporters, NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection Michael Achimugu issued this directive.
Checked-in luggage that is left behind at the departing airport and arrives on a subsequent aircraft is referred to as "short-landed baggage."
In order to cover their basic necessities while they wait for their luggage, passengers whose baggage is short-landed are entitled to N10,000 for domestic flights and $170 for international trips, as stated in Part 19 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.
Achimugu said that non-compliance would no longer be accepted by the Authority.
“This engagement perhaps should be the last time we will have to discuss the issue of this First Need. For a while now, it’s been a grey area. Recall the NCAA has sent letters to the airlines about First Need. There has not been much compliance by the airlines,” the director stated.
He voiced alarm over airlines' seeming disregard for or ignorance of the rule.:
“The regulations are very clear. One cannot say for certain if the airlines are intentionally disregarding the regulations or if there is some miscommunication along the line. I met with some station managers who seemed not to be aware of the regulations. We thought that the right thing to do is to have this conversation with you to understand what the challenges have been. Why are we not paying First Need for shorthanded baggage?” he queried.
Achimugu also emphasised the specifics of the rule and what airlines are expected to do according to a Punch report.
“Part 19 of the Civil Aviation Regulation 2023 makes it clear. If the baggage of a passenger doesn’t arrive with the passenger, for a domestic airline, the passenger gets N10,000, and you have seven days to deliver the bag at their address at no cost to the passenger. But because a lot of passengers do not know their rights, the airlines have been making the passengers come pick up their luggage. Going forward, you must comply with the regulation,” he told the airlines.
He commended the domestic carriers' efforts but asked them to follow international best practices.
Source: Getty Images
NCAA speaks on air fares
Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified that it does not control airline ticket prices.
According to the NCAA, deciding price of airline tickets is deregulated worldwide, and Nigeria follows the same principles.
The NCAA director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu, explained that airlines must submit their airfare list to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) annually, following established guidelines.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
