Baggage delay: NCAA fines Arik Air N6 million
(Nigeria) Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has issued a N6million fine to Arik Air
Limited for contravening the provisions of the Nigerian Civil Aviation
Regulations (Nig.CARs).
The NCAA also ordered the airline to pay its passengers
,whose baggage were delayed on the London to Lagos route between December 2 and
December 4 , $150 each as compensation.
The authority disclosed this in a statement by its General
Manager, Public Relations, Mr Sam Adurogboye, and obtained NAN in Lagos on
Tuesday.
According to the statement, the Letter of Sanction with
reference no. NCAA/DG/CSLA/RM/1-06/16/439 and dated Dec. 22 ,has already been
sent to Arik Air.
It said in the letter, the NCAA discovered that Arik Air
violated Part 19.7.2 and 19.17.2.1 (ii) of the Nig.CARs 2015.
The statement said the authority was earlier inundated with
complaints of delay and inability to ferry the passengers’ checked – in luggage
on the airline’s services from London to Lagos from December 2 to December 4.
It said upon receipt of the complaints, the NCAA invited the
airline to a meeting on December 6 which was duly attended by the airlines’
representative.
“However, Arik embarked on continuous flouting of the
Nig.CARs and the authority’s directives to freight all backlog of short –
landed baggage to Lagos within 48 hours.
“Similarly, the carrier declined to offer care and
compensation to the affected passengers which were unanimously agreed for $150
toeach passenger.
“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 Nig.CARs 2015,” the statement said.
It said the N6 million fine must be paid within seven days
of receipt of the letter while the $150 compensation to each of the passengers
must be made within 30 days.
The statement said :”the NCAA expects strict compliance with
the provisions of Part 19 of the Nig.CARs by the airline in future.
“This is to assure all stakeholders that the authority
exists to protect their rights at all times and as such any violation of the
regulation in that regard will be viewed seriously.”
Comments
Post a Comment