The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has initiated an inquiry into British Airways (BA) flights experiencing delays and late arrivals for three consecutive days at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The aviation regulatory agency has contacted the airline to investigate the underlying reasons for these delays and to implement necessary measures to safeguard passenger rights and avoid future occurrences.
Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, announced on Friday that the NCAA has reached out to British Airways and initiated an inquiry into the recurrent delays. Achimugu assured the traveling public that the NCAA will exert every effort to safeguard their rights, in alignment with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development’s goal to eradicate unnecessary flight delays.
“The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has been alerted to the consistent delays and late arrivals of British Airways flights at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, which have persisted for three days beginning August 27, 2024. These disruptions have caused considerable inconvenience to travelers.”
“In June, the Lagos-London flight BA 74 was canceled on two occasions, leading to substantial delays and requiring passengers to stay in hotels.”
Numerous Nigerians and other passengers set to fly to London on a British Airways flight were left stranded at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos due to a technical issue with the aircraft. Flight BA 74, intended to leave Lagos for London at 10:50 PM on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, was delayed as the plane scheduled for the journey experienced a malfunction and was immobilized at the Lagos airport.
The British airline had checked in the passengers for the flight, allowing them to enter the waiting area through Gate E55 before departure. As the passengers awaited the boarding announcement, an unsettling quiet and unexpected delays occurred, which was atypical for the airline.
One passenger, who experienced the delay, remarked, “The airline showed a lack of consideration by not informing the stranded passengers about the technical difficulties until after midnight. The flight was eventually cancelled after 1:00 am.
Passengers were instructed to void their immigration forms and return to baggage claim to retrieve their checked luggage.” By that time, some passengers who had arrived at the airport early on Wednesday to complete immigration procedures had been there for nearly nine hours. Around 3:00 am, the passengers left the airport and were eventually transported to various hotels in Lagos.
Flight BA 74, operated by British Airline, was set to depart from Lagos to London at 10:50 pm on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. However, the aircraft assigned to this flight encountered technical issues and remained grounded at Lagos airport.
AFP
