The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has identified the lack of sufficient aircraft as a primary cause of flight disruptions and cancellations in Nigeria.
This was revealed by Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at NCAA, during a Civil Aviation Conference held in Abuja on October 23, 2024.
The conference, themed ‘Building Viable Aviation Industry for National Economic Growth and Development,’ highlighted the challenges faced by the aviation sector in Nigeria.
Achimugu emphasized that the capacity problem stems from airlines' inability to acquire more aircraft, which leads to frequent disruptions in flight schedules.
He noted, "We have capacity problems but there are also solutions, and the most important of the solutions is the signing of the Practice direction; Cape Town Convention as well as the signing of the revised advisory circular on Irrevocable De-Registration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA)."
These measures are expected to facilitate access to more aircraft, thereby reducing flight disruptions, lowering airfares, and boosting the country's economy.
The NCAA is optimistic that with adequate aircraft, the frequency of flight disruptions will decrease significantly. Achimugu further explained that when an airline experiences a disruption, it affects the entire day's schedule due to the lack of alternative aircraft to accommodate passengers. To address these issues, the NCAA, along with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), is working on calibrating some airports to mitigate flight delays and disruptions.
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