NCAA Blames Inadequate Aircraft For Flight Disruptions, Cancellations

Monday Reuben, Abuja 

DAILY COURIER - The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has attributed flights disruptions and cancellations to insufficient aircraft by airlines operating in Nigeria.

This was disclosed in Abuja on Wednesday by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of NCAA, Michael Achimugu, at the Civil Aviation Conference with the theme: ‘Building Viable Aviation Industry for National Economic Growth and Development’.

The Authority, which stated the lack of capacity by airlines to get more aircraft, noted that that the recently signed Practice Direction (Cape Town Convention) and Irrevocable De-Registration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA) would enable airlines access more aircraft and boost the growth in the sector.

The NCAA expressed optimism that access to the aircraft would put an end to flight disruptions, reduce airfares and boost the country’s economy.

According to Achimugu, “We have capacity problem in Nigeria. We simply do not have enough aircraft to ferry people around the country. The Minister and the DGCA have stated this before and we will not help ourselves by hiding the truth.

“We have capacity problems but there are also solutions and the most important of the solutions is the signing of the Practice direction; Cape Town Convention as well as the signing of the revised advisory circular on Irrevocable De-Registration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA).

“Now, more planes can come into the country and if we have adequate number of planes, there would be automatic reduction in flight disruptions because lack of capacity is one of the major reasons why there are flight disruptions. When there is disruption in flight schedule, it affects the remaining schedule for the day because the airline does not have alternative aircraft to ferry people, hence they would have to waste passengers’ time and everything would suffer. If they have enough aircraft in their fleet, these issues will no longer arise.”

He also noted that the NCAA and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), were calibrating some airports to address issues of flight disruptions and delays.