The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has placed domestic carrier Max Air and Ivorian operator Air Cote D’Ivoire under regulatory scrutiny following a surge in passenger complaints and reported violations of consumer protection regulations.
The Director, Public Affairs & Consumer Protection at NCAA, Michael Achimugu said this on Thursday in a monitored tweet on his veried X handle.
Achimugu decried that data from the NCAA’s Consumer Protection Directorate (CPD) showed Max Air has emerged as the most unresponsive domestic airline in addressing passenger grievances.
He said in some cases, there have been allegations that the airline even threatened travel agencies for reporting incidents to the regulatory authority.
Achimugu said, “According to NCAA data, Max Air has been the most unresponsive domestic airline per passenger complaints and determinations by the NCAA CPD.
“In some cases, there have been allegations of threats to travel agencies for daring to report to the CAA.
“This will be put to a stop immediately.
“Internationally, the Ivorian operator, Air Cote D’Ivoire, has been reported for cancelling flights on the days they do not have “enough passengers,” and that they try and merge flights across days to hit their desired figures.”
The NCAA assured that both cases will be handled expeditiously, reaffirming its commitment to upholding passenger rights and enforcing industry standards.
While the authority emphasized its continued support for all airlines and acknowledged that operational disruptions are sometimes inevitable, it made clear that compliance with aviation regulations is mandatory.
He said, “Both cases will be handled expeditiously by the NCAA.
“While supporting all airlines and the fact that disruptions must occur, compliance with the regulations is mandatory. It is not a choice of convenience.”