Aviation
NCAA Cautions Airlines Over Refund Delays, Insists on 14-Day Rule
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a stern warning to domestic airlines over delayed ticket refunds, reaffirming that all refunds must be processed within 14 days, as stipulated by aviation regulations.
The NCAA criticized airlines for informing passengers that ticket refunds could take up to four weeks, saying such claims contradict the NCAA Regulations 2023 (Part 19).
In a statement posted on X on Monday, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the authority would not tolerate any breach of its refund policy.
“Domestic airlines NEED to stop telling passengers that their refund process takes 4 weeks. There can’t be two captains-in-command on an aircraft,” Achimugu stated.
He emphasized that airlines cannot create their own refund rules, as the 14-day policy remains in force nationwide.
“The NCAA regulations are clear about the timeframe for ticket refunds, and it is 14 days. Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023 remains in force. Operators cannot create a different rule in this regard.”
Achimugu also urged passengers who have been told by airlines that refunds take four weeks to immediately forward such communications to the NCAA via:
[email protected], [email protected], or [email protected].
“We cannot all claim to be working for the improvement of the industry and be duplicating rules in a manner that undermines the Authority and is unfair to passengers,” he added.
The NCAA’s reminder comes amid a surge in passenger complaints about delayed ticket refunds following flight cancellations and disruptions.
The regulatory body recently warned that sanctions await defaulting airlines, insisting that timely refunds remain a basic consumer right and a “low-hanging fruit” that operators must prioritise to maintain passenger trust.
