- Air Peace Chairman Allen Onyema admitted his airline’s staff infringed on regulations and pledged corrective actions
- Onyema accepted Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) sanctions over consumer protection violations
- Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) reaffirmed its commitment to protecting passenger rights and holding airlines accountable
Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace Airline, has expressed his willingness to comply with the sanctions imposed on his company by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Recall that the NCAA, on Tuesday, December 24, initiated enforcement actions against five airlines, including Air Peace, for breaching consumer protection regulations.
NCAA announces sanctions against Air Peace, four others
The announcement of the sanctions was made by Michael Achimugu, NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, in a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) page.
The statement read, “Earlier today, I notified five airlines that the NCAA has initiated enforcement actions against the operators for violation of various consumer protection regulations (Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023).”
In an update shared on X on Friday, December 27, Chris Najomo, the Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), confirmed that Allen Onyema had admitted to the infringements committed by his staff, as alleged by the regulatory body.
Air Peace Chairman pledges compliance with NCAA sanctions
He said, “Today, the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, publicly accepted the enforcement actions initiated by the NCAA, stating that he has witnessed some of the infractions by his staff, and has cautioned them to comply with the Authority by ensuring that refunds are paid within the stipulated timeframe per Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.
"I am glad that this has happened. I have warned my team. This shows that the NCAA know what they are doing. I will always acknowledge it where the fault is ours," Onyema was quoted.
“After the stakeholders meeting with domestic operators today in Lagos, an international airline, Ethiopian, was waiting to discuss with me the notification of enforcement action issued to their airline.
“They expressed readiness to comply with NCAA regulations going forward and said that they would send in a compliance report by tomorrow.
“This is the first time in over a decade that the NCAA Consumer Protection Department is initiating sanctions against airlines.
“It will no longer be business as usual even as we will continue to do our duty of protecting both airlines and passengers as impartial umpires.
”I commend Allen Onyema for acknowledging the issues raised while assuring the travelling public that we will continue to protect their rights."
NCAA concerned over 190 flights cancelled in 2 months
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority said 190 flights in the country were cancelled within two months.
According to the report, the NCAA reiterated that passengers’ rights and obligations are mandatory for all operators.