NCAA Fines Qatar Airways N5m for Violating Nigerian Passenger’s Rights

Oru Leonard 

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has slamed a N5 million fine on Qatar Airways for violating a passenger’s rights. The airline was accused of disrespecting Nigerian passengers and the NCAA, prompting the authority to take action.

According to Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, a Qatar Airways cabin crew member alleged that a male passenger touched her inappropriately during boarding in Lagos. The incident was only reported in Doha, leading to the passenger’s arrest and detention for 18 hours.

Qatar Airways poor handling of the incident include:

– Failure to Report Incident in Lagos_: The crew member didn’t report the incident until arrival in Doha.
-The passenger was detained, fined, and forced to sign an Arabic document without understanding its contents, which was unfair.
–  Qatar Airways refused to fly the passenger to his final destination, forcing him to buy new tickets.

The NCAA has warned Qatar Airways to comply with Nigerian aviation laws, stating that failure to do so will result in further sanctions. This incident highlights the NCAA’s commitment to protecting passenger rights and enforcing regulations. ¹ ² ³