NCAA fines Qatar Airways N5m over consumer protection breach
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has imposed a fine of N5 million on Qatar Airways for violating consumer protection regulations, indicating a more stringent regulatory stance towards airlines operating within the nation.
The announcement of the penalty was made on Wednesday by the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“I am pleased to share that the NCAA has sanctioned @qatarairways with a penalty of five million naira due to infractions related to consumer protection. Furthermore, the letters of investigation (LOI) issued to the airline concerning other issues may result in additional penalties if not addressed properly,” Achimugu communicated.
In September, the NCAA accused Qatar Airways of mistreating Nigerian travelers and breaching consumer protection stipulations under Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.
The authority cautioned the airline of serious repercussions for its repeated disregard for its directives.
The latest incident involved a Nigerian passenger who was alleged to have sexually harassed a member of the Qatar Airways cabin crew during the boarding process in Lagos for a flight to the U.S. with a stopover in Doha.
The complaint was reportedly lodged only upon arrival in Doha, where the passenger faced arrest, an 18-hour detention, a fine, and was compelled to sign a document that was entirely in Arabic.
Subsequently, Qatar Airways allegedly denied him the opportunity to continue his journey, obliging him to purchase a new ticket, leading to substantial financial loss and harm to his reputation.
The NCAA remarked that it had summoned the country manager of Qatar Airways for a discussion regarding the incident, but he failed to attend, sending his subordinates instead.
“I recognize that some nations lack comprehensive aviation consumer protection regulations like those in Nigeria. In some instances, certain countries do not have any regulations at all. This creates an environment where airlines operating from those locations (primarily national carriers) treat consumer protection enforcement in Nigeria with contempt.
“This is a situation we will not tolerate here. It is illegal for ANY airline to disregard the NCAA. It is against the law to provide false information to the NCAA. It is unlawful to fail to adhere to the requirements set forth in Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023,” Achimugu expressed in a prior post.
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