Aviation industry remains strong in Nigeria – NCAA
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says the overall performance of the nation’s aviation industry remains strong, especially with respect to air returns and baggage recovery, despite several passenger complaints against domestic airlines in 2024.
NCAA stated this in its Executive Summary on the performance of airlines in Nigeria in 2024 as no fewer than 748 passengers lodged complaints against some domestic airlines.
232 complaints were recorded against Air Peace, followed by Arik Air 203, Aero Contractors 88, Ibom Air 131, and Green Africa 94.
This figure, 748, represents approximately 34.3% of the total complaints in the domestic aviation sector.
NCAA noted that it received a total of 2,184 complaints, including 854 reports of pilferage and discourtesy. The resolution rate represents 43.98% of cases resolved, a significant portion of the complaints.
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According to the summary, 118 air/ramp returns occurred out of 70,543 flights operated in Nigeria’s domestic aviation scene. This equates to a very low 0.167% air/ramp return rate, which is unlikely to raise major safety concerns. The number highlights the efficiency of the industry in handling operations smoothly.
Regarding the air/ramp return figures, airlines such as Aero Contractors, Air Peace, Arik Air, and Ibom Air saw the highest returns, amounting to a combined total of 85 of the 118 air returns, or approximately 71.2% of air returns.
Azman Airlines had no air returns in its 145 operations between January and March 2024, when it briefly resumed flights in April and May before ceasing operations.
Dana Air, which suspended operations in May, had six air/ramp returns out of 1,446 flights. Meanwhile, XeJet, which commenced commercial operations in November, had zero air/ramp returns after conducting 261 flights.
The NCAA also reported on the issue of missing baggage. Of the 430 reported missing items, a remarkable 429 were found, representing 99.77% of baggage recovery. This high recovery rate indicates effective handling of baggage issues, contributing to a positive passenger experience.
