NCAA Spokesperson, Achimugu Urges Air Passengers to Understand Airline Conditions Before Booking
The Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) , Michael Achimugu has advised air passengers to carefully study the conditions of service of airlines before purchasing tickets, particularly when travelling on routes served by multiple carriers.
Achimugu gave the advice on his X account while highlighting the need for passengers to make informed choices based on airlines’ fares, services and conditions of carriage.
He noted that airlines operate different business models and may offer varying levels of service depending on their fares and operating policies.
According to him, passengers travelling to destinations served by different airlines have the opportunity to compare their options and select the carrier that best suits their needs.
He said passengers should not automatically expect the same level of service from all airlines, as differences could exist in areas such as meal offerings, baggage allowances and other conditions of carriage.
“Some of them are run as low-cost alternatives to the bigger operators,” he said, stressing that passengers who choose airlines because of cheaper fares should familiarise themselves with the terms and conditions attached to such tickets.
Achimugu also warned passengers to pay particular attention to non-refundable, low-fare and promotional tickets before making payments.
He said failure to understand an airline’s conditions of carriage could lead to disputes when passengers expect an airline to provide services or concessions offered by another carrier.
The NCAA official gave examples of differences in airline and airport policies, noting that while some airlines may permit passengers to check in certain items such as palm oil, others may not.
He also pointed out that airport security requirements could differ, recalling that a metal shoe horn was seized from him at Lagos airport but was not questioned when he travelled with it through Abuja airport.
He therefore urged passengers to understand the specific policies of their chosen airline and airport before travelling.
“Understand the uniqueness of each operator and make wise travel choices. You do owe yourself that duty. You are the one travelling, and your comfort, needs, and other considerations, matter,” Achimugu said.
Achimugu also addressed passengers who miss scheduled flights, describing such cases as “no-show” situations and explaining that a full refund may not necessarily be available.
He said passengers should understand the financial commitments already made by airlines once a ticket is purchased, including taxes and other arrangements associated with the scheduled flight.
According to him, airlines incur costs in preparing to operate a flight, including catering and other services, and may not have made a profit on a passenger’s ticket until the passenger actually travels.
He questioned who would bear the financial loss if an airline were compelled to provide a full refund after a passenger failed to show up for a flight.
The NCAA official therefore urged passengers to carefully understand the terms attached to their tickets before purchasing them, particularly where the fare is promotional or non-refundable.
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