NCAA hits Arik Air, fines N6m, compels airline to pay $150 compensation to victims
Lead regulator of commercial aviation services, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Tuesday fined Arik Air N6m over its passengers’ complaints of delay and inability of the airline to ferry their luggage from London to Lagos from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of December, 2016.
Part of the sanction also includes the payment of $150 compensation to all passengers who suffered the delayed access to luggage.
According to the letter conveying the sanctions, the payments must be made within 30 days from the date of the circular.
In the letter with reference no.NCAA/DG/CSLA/RM/1-06/16/439 dated 22nd December, 2016, NCAA said “Determined that Arik Air Limited was in violation of Part 19.7.2 and 19.17.2.1 (ii) of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs), 2015.
“Arik Air flouted its orders to freight all backlog of short-landed luggage to Lagos within 48 hours, which was given during a meeting on December 6, 2016, which was duly attended by the airlines’ representative.
“Similarly, the carrier declined to offer care and compensation to the affected passengers which were unanimously agreed for $150. In addition, the airline did not inform the passengers at the soonest practicable time that their checked-in baggage would be off-loaded as required by Part 19.7.2 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs),2015,” the NCAA Letter to Airk Air concluded.
