BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Aviation regulator, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has accused Qatar Airways of treating Nigerian passengers with “utter disdain” and flouting consumer protection laws, vowing to put a decisive end to such conduct.
The NCAA’s anger was triggered by a recent case involving a Nigerian couple travelling from Lagos to the United States via Doha.
According to the NCAA, a female member of Qatar Airways’ cabin crew alleged that a male passenger touched her inappropriately while she wheeled another passenger during boarding in Lagos.
However, the incident was not reported in Nigeria. Instead, upon arrival in Doha, the crew member lodged the allegation, leading to the man’s arrest and detention for about eighteen hours.
The NCAA disclosed that during the ordeal, the man’s wife was left traumatised and unattended.
“She wondered how her husband could have committed such a despicable infraction given that she was with him throughout the boarding process,” an NCAA official familiar with the case explained.
According to reports, the Qatari authorities forced the passenger to pay a hefty fine and sign a document written only in Arabic.
“Desperate for freedom to proceed on his journey to the US, the passenger signed a document with contents he did not understand,” the NCAA stated.
Despite this, Qatar Airways allegedly refused to fly him onward to his destination. Instead, he was compelled to buy new tickets on another airline, incurring “great financial and reputational cost.”
The NCAA also accused Qatar Airways’ country manager of consistently avoiding meetings with the regulator.
When invited to resolve the matter and address other complaints, the manager allegedly sent subordinates instead.
“Qatar Airways failed to comply with the determinations made during that meeting. They have also ignored subsequent complaints escalated to them by the NCAA, including a letter of investigation sent to them. This behaviour stops now,” the authority warned.
The NCAA emphasised that Nigeria has robust aviation consumer protection regulations under Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023 and would not allow foreign airlines to undermine them.
“I understand that some countries do not have advanced aviation consumer protection regulations like Nigeria does. In certain cases, some countries don’t even have any. This creates a situation where airlines operating out of those countries act with disdain towards consumer protection enforcement in Nigeria.
“This is not a situation that we would accept here.”
The authority reiterated that it is against the law for any airline operating in Nigeria to ignore its directives, provide false information, or fail to comply with consumer protection rules.
“When BASAs (Bilateral Air Service Agreements) are signed, they must be respected by both parties. Every airline approved to operate in Nigeria must understand and comply with consumer protection regulations.
“To continue to treat our laws with contempt while respecting regulations across Europe and elsewhere is not acceptable and must be brought to a complete and final stop”, the regulator stressed.
The NCAA insisted that its consumer protection department safeguards both airlines and passengers.
It also highlighted that the Director General, Captain Chris Najomo, has been unequivocal about enforcing passenger rights.
“The DGCA has never minced words about his position on consumer protection issues, and we will apply appropriate and stiff penalties against airlines that, in perpetuity, fail to comply,” the regulator said.
The NCAA further disclosed that Qatar Airways is not the only foreign carrier under scrutiny. Royal Air Maroc and Saudi Air have also been warned over consumer protection violations.
“In the same vein, Royal Air Maroc and Saudi Air have been properly advised about certain infractions and, failing to comply with the determinations of the NCAA, will be sanctioned heavily,” the regulator warned.
With these developments, the NCAA said it is sending a clear message: no airline, regardless of status or nationality, will be allowed to operate in Nigeria while disregarding the rights and dignity of Nigerian passengers.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
