The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has sanctioned Arik Air Limited over delay in bringing luggage of passengers on its Lagos – London service.
Arik Air Limited is to pay to the Authority within Seven days the sum of six Million naira only just as it was also directed to pay each passenger whose luggage was delayed the sum of USD$150 as compensation.
This was contained in a statement by the airline’s spokesman, Mr. Sam Adurogboye over recent issue involving Arik Air and its London passengers.
The authority was said to have been inundated with complaints of delay and inability to ferry the passengers’ checked – in luggage on the Airline’s services from London –Lagos from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th December, 2016.
The offence contravenes Part.19.7.2 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2015.
Upon receipt of the complaints, NCAA said it invited the airline to a meeting on the 6th of December, 2016, which was duly attended by the airlines’ representative.
According to the agency, 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 just as they 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 the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs),2015.
The NCAA however said it expects strict compliance with the provisions of Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) by the airline in future.
The agency assured all stakeholders that the Authority exist to protect their rights at all times and as such any violation of the Regulation in that regard will be viewed seriously.
