The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has issued a stern warning to domestic airlines against informing passengers that ticket refunds take up to four weeks, describing such claims as a violation of existing aviation regulations.
The Authority emphasized that under Part 19 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023, airlines are mandated to process refunds within 14 days.
The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu, made this known in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
“Domestic airlines NEED to stop telling passengers that their refund process takes four weeks. There can’t be two captains-in-command on an aircraft,” Achimugu wrote.
“The NCAA regulations are clear about the timeframe for ticket refunds, and it is 14 days. Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023 remains in force. Operators cannot create a different rule in this regard.”
He urged passengers who are told by airlines that refunds take four weeks to forward such communications to the Authority for investigation.
“To all passengers: if you apply for a refund and an airline tells you that it would take four weeks, kindly forward that communication to [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected] immediately,” he stated.
Achimugu stressed that the NCAA would not tolerate attempts by operators to undermine its authority or shortchange passengers, noting that compliance with refund regulations was a basic obligation.
“We cannot all claim to be working for the improvement of the industry and be duplicating rules in a manner that undermines the Authority and is unfair to passengers,” he added.
The reminder comes amid growing passenger complaints about delayed refunds following flight cancellations and schedule disruptions.
In recent months, the NCAA has repeatedly cautioned airlines to adhere to the 14-day refund rule, warning that defaulters could face sanctions. The Authority described timely refunds as a “low-hanging fruit” that demonstrates an airline’s commitment to customer service and regulatory compliance.
