As the two-day warning strike by aviation workers nationwide enters its second day, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has come out to speak about how to refund stranded passengers immediately.
This is as the NCAA Director General, Capt Musa Nuhu, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday morning, said the authority would soon commence a 100% immediate refund to passengers anytime flights are cancelled.
Nuhu said the agency loses over a billion naira of aviation earnings to flight cancellations and delays, but none the least, once the new aviation regulation in the pipeline is signed into law, passengers would get instant refunds of their monies during cancellations and delays, OsunDaily News learnt.
The NCAA boss, while speaking about the strike by aviation workers nationwide that has halted activities, pointed out that flight cancellations during the strike have led to direct losses to airlines and indirect losses to the economy.
It would be recalled that Aviation unions nationwide commenced a two-day warning strike on Monday to press home their demand over the non-release of the reviewed Condition of Service, and planned demolition of Dominion and EAN hangars, amongst sundry issues.
The strike which has entered its second day has crippled activities at various airports nationwide leaving passengers stranded.
Responding to if or not passengers would be refunded their monies in the midst of the strike, Nuhu stated that “It should be immediately. We are currently reviewing our regulations to review what’s done in the past that gives some days for a refund if my flight is cancelled.
“What we have in the new regulation that will be signed into law very soon when it’s all cleaned up is that if you cancel my flight, you should put me on another flight or give me the option of getting a refund immediately so that I can make other plans.
“Without the passengers, we don’t exist. The passengers are those who pay our salaries. Majority of the entire generated revenue of the NCAA, 80% or more, is from the 5% paid by the passengers. So, they pay our salaries.
“Certainly, in the billions. From direct losses to the airlines and indirect losses to the economy because when people miss their connections a lot is lost. I can’t say but I can guarantee you it’s in the billions. At least over a billion. I think I am being very conservative.”
Meanwhile, he said a meeting has been scheduled amongst the unions, the Head of Service, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Budget Office, all in a bid to resolve the strike.
Nuhu said “I understand the frustration of the union but by going on strike, it is the innocent passengers that will suffer from this strike. And it is also the aviation industry, the ground handlers, the airlines that will suffer.”
