Airlines fined by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have reached out to request meetings to present evidence that they have resolved passenger refund-related issues for which they were penalised, the regulator confirmed to ch-aviation.
Michael Achimugu, the NCAA's director of consumer protection and public affairs, confirmed that the affected airlines could either pay the penalties or appeal the decisions. He said some airlines had asked to meet with the regulator to provide evidence of resolution. The process is ongoing and immediate payment of fines is not expected, he said.
In December, the NCAA announced it had imposed fines on five airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Ethiopian Airlines, Arik Air, Air Peace, and Aero Contractors, over alleged delayed refund payments to passengers following consumer complaints.
ch-aviation has asked all of the affected airlines to comment.
Aero Contractors CEO Ado Sanusi urged the NCAA to engage with airlines more collaboratively rather than imposing sanctions without prior discussion.
"A more constructive approach would be to work together to find solutions that balance consumer protection with the operational realities of the industry. Aero Contractors remains open to dialogue with the regulator to ensure a better experience for passengers while maintaining industry standards," he said in a statement to ch-aviation.
"Aero Contractors remains committed to improving its refund process. We acknowledge that there are areas for improvement, and we are actively working to digitalise our refund system to enhance efficiency and minimise delays. However, it is important to recognise that ticket refunds in the aviation industry follow strict protocols to prevent fraud and ensure proper verification, especially for payments made via credit cards. These processes, while sometimes time-consuming, are necessary to protect both passengers and the airline from fraudulent activities," he added.
