Brace Up For Seasonal Disruptions, NCAA Tells Passengers

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has disclosed that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is yet to submit its findings on the controversial increase in airfares during the Yuletide season.

Speaking on Wednesday, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, maintained his earlier stance that reasons provided by some airline operators particularly claims of multiple taxationwere unconvincing.

Achimugu’s comments come less than a month after the FCCPC announced that airlines found to have arbitrarily increased ticket prices during the Christmas period would face penalties.

The Commission had also stated that affected passengers would be refunded excess charges, following the conclusion of its investigation.

The FCCPC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Tunji Bello, had earlier assured that airlines that exploited travellers during the festive season would be sanctioned accordingly.

Addressing journalists in Lagos, Achimugu said:
“The FCCPC did not submit reports to my office, so I do not know what they found out. All I know is that in December, I disagreed with the reason for the hike in air fares as stated by some operators. They alleged that it was due to taxes, but I didn’t agree with that and I still stand by that.”

He further noted an improvement in flight operations, stating that disruptions have reduced compared to the last quarter of the previous year. However, he warned that the onset of the rainy season could lead to fresh disruptions in flight schedules.

According to him, the drop in passenger traffic after the festive period contributed to the improvement in operational performance.

Achimugu added:
“The (flight disruptions) numbers were impressive and encouraging, especially because immediately after the festive period, there was a drop in the number of passengers. The number of disruptions, I just checked last week, has improved compared to the last quarter of last year. However, we are entering the rainy season as well, so there’s an expectation that there will be disruptions.

“Take note that there are other factors that cause these disruptions. And recently, the Minister hosted the Aircraft Acquisition Summit and the report from that event is very encouraging. 2026 will be a better year for aviation in Nigeria as per flight disruptions because more aircraft are coming in. Deals have been signed already.”

The NCAA expressed optimism that ongoing efforts to expand airline fleets and improve infrastructure would enhance service delivery and reduce operational challenges in the aviation sector.