BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has launched a nationwide awareness campaign to address the rising tide of violence against airline ground staff and cabin crew, warning that such acts pose serious risks to safety and order within the aviation ecosystem.
On Saturday, NCAA officials from the Consumer Protection and Public Relations departments led an outreach exercise at airport terminals, where they educated passengers on the dangers of verbal and physical assaults against aviation personnel.
Speaking during the exercise, the NCAA’s Spokesman, Michael Achimugu, emphasised that crew members and ground staff are not adversaries but partners in ensuring a safe and seamless travel experience.
“Cabin crew are not the enemy. They don’t make the rules; they enforce them to keep passengers safe and ensure smooth operations. Be you passenger, cabin crew, or ground staff, we are all partners in this ecosystem, and we must not hurt one another”, he said.
The Authority explained that while tensions sometimes arise due to delays, cancellations, or regulatory procedures, resorting to aggression against staff undermines security protocols and could endanger lives.
Instead, passengers were urged to channel grievances through established complaint mechanisms provided by the NCAA and the airlines.
Industry stakeholders have welcomed the campaign, noting that attacks on aviation workers have become increasingly frequent worldwide, particularly in the wake of post-pandemic travel disruptions.
The NCAA’s proactive approach, they said, would help protect frontline staff, foster civility at airports, and safeguard the flying public.
The sensitisation campaign will run across all major airports in Nigeria in the coming weeks, as the Authority seeks to instill a culture of mutual respect and cooperation between passengers and aviation workers.
