The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said it was seeking additional layers of protection for air travelers, saying they are the kings of the industry and must be protected much better than is being done.
Consequently, the agency said it had held discussions with a number of insurance firms and insurance advocacies to come up with a new system that protects the air travelers without putting the operators’ business at unnecessary risk.
The spokesman for the NCAA, Mr Michael Achimugu, disclosed this on Friday at a stakeholders’ forum held in Lagos.
He also announced that different models to address the issue of consumer protection had been presented to the NCAA, but the one from of “a certain Breezetech Technologies has been selected as the most implementable.”
“Theirs is a block chain portal that offers almost immediate comfort to stranded or dissatisfied passengers while still at the terminals but also factors in the interest of the airlines.
“It is a marriage four-way marriage between technology, insurance, operators, and regulator,” he said.
Achimugu noted that NCAA had looked at the block chain portal and the pedigree of the brain behind it.
He said the regulatory authority had “peeled back layer upon layer from the many possible solutions on offer” and came to the “measured conclusion on paper” that the Breezetech Technologies presentation “is the most practicable model available to all stakeholders for now.”
Meanwhile, he said a number of quick-fixes had been implemented.
“Regular engagements between the NCAA consumer protection department and airlines have helped to smoothen the hitherto rocky relationship between regulator and operators.
“We have been able to establish that this axis of the industry is a good and necessary marriage rather than the CAA being the big, bad bully, and, the airlines, scared but rebellious victims.
“Consumer protection officers are now more visible and recognizable…and complainants are happier with the improvements in the quality of service and rapid case resolution which has now hit a record 65 per cent, the highest in the history of the NCAA,” he said.
He said further: “While we applaud ourselves, the truth is, much more needs to be done before we are anywhere near the levels we aspire to.”
He also stated that the minister of aviation and aerospace development, Mr Festus Keyamo was on assumption of office worried about the impact of flight disruptions on the travel experience of Nigerian passengers who often, justifiably or not, have to pay high airfares for short distance flights.
“First, he identified the challenges, and began to gun for long-term fixes. He has been very vocal about refunds, rebates, and world-class customer service.
“The minister also supports the growth of domestic airlines. This is one of his five-point agenda. He has proven this by the signing of the Cape Town Convention Practice Direction as well as Capt Chris Najomo’s signing of the Irrevocable De-Registration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA).
“The acting director general, of the NCAA, Capt Chris Najomo, having been a director for consumer protection understands the dynamics and is passionate about overcoming the albatross.
“We understand better than anyone else how challenging the business environment is. We know how low profit margins are, if existent at all. We also know that not all flight disruptions are the faults of the airlines,” added.
