The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken decisive enforcement action against three domestic airlines over persistent flight disruptions and alleged failure to adequately care for passengers, as travel pressure peaks in the busy December season.

Officials of the regulator on Monday stormed the Abuja operations of Xejet, Rano Air and United Nigeria Airline, in what the NCAA describes as a firm signal that airlines must comply with consumer protection regulations, regardless of operational challenges.

Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Mr Michael Achimugu, said the action followed repeated complaints from passengers over delays, poor communication and neglect of basic welfare obligations.

“While we understand the unique challenges of December with flight disruptions, airlines must provide the necessary care for passengers at a time like this,” Achimugu said.

According to him, investigations by the authority revealed that many airlines fail to give timely and honest information to passengers during delays and often attempt to evade the provision of basic refreshments, which are mandatory under the law.

“We have observed that most airlines do not provide timely, honest information, and that they try to evade the provision of light refreshments two hours into a delay, as stipulated by Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023,” he stated.

Achimugu described the practice as unacceptable and warned that the regulator would no longer tolerate actions that undermine passengers’ rights.

The NCAA has since issued an ultimatum to the affected airlines, stressing that the warning applies to all domestic carriers, not just the three whose operations were inspected.

“The NCAA finds this unacceptable and has given an ultimatum to the airlines. We are watching, and action will be taken where necessary,” Achimugu said.

The enforcement move is part of the authority’s broader effort to strengthen consumer protection in the aviation sector, particularly during high-traffic periods when passengers are most vulnerable to delays, cancellations and poor service.