Flight delays: NASS warns it may allow foreign airlines to run domestic flights

The Joint National Assembly Committee on Aviation has warned that if local airlines are no longer able to manage their fleet and stop flight delays, it will invite foreign airlines to run the domestic services.

This was disclosed in a joint briefing by Senator Smart Adeyemi and Rep Nnolim Nnaji, the Senate and House Committee Chairmen on Aviation during an oversight meeting with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Friday in Lagos.

Adeyemi said that the essence of the oversight function was to get first-hand information on some of the challenges confronting the aviation sector.

“Nigerians are not happy with the way and manners airlines operate in the country, passengers are left at the mercy of airline operators. Passengers are being delayed at the airport for over five to six hours without apologies or compensation.

“If Nigerian airline operators can no longer manage their fleets, it will not be out of place for us to bring foreign companies to run the domestic airlines.”

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He said that as of today, Nigerians cannot predict the movement of airlines, citing that if not for security challenges in the country, it would have been better to travel by car.

“Why would somebody stay at the airport for hours and nobody is talking to you,” he queried

Adeyemi, disclosed that the two-chamber committees would set up a committee that would look into flight delays adding that the essence of flying is to meet and accelerate appointments but one will be there for nine hours and no airline is talking to you.

“Currently, the airline operators are making huge money now, triple what they were making during COVID-19.

“But they are capitalising on COVID-19, passengers are no longer served in the airlines. No courtesy or respect to passengers. All this will have to stop,” he said.

On his part, Nnaji, the Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, urged the director-general of NCAA to provide documents that would reflect the challenges and issues confronting the aviation industry.