. Airline to pay $150 per passenger
For failure to bring in the luggage of passengers from London Heathrow since Friday, 2nd December after arrival at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA is set to sanction Arik Air.
This was disclosed by the director consumer protection of the NCAA, Mr Abdullahi Adamu in an interview with aviation correspondents at the International wing of the Airport in Ikeja shortly after addressing the angry Arik passengers whose lugagge were delayed.
Adamu noted that the airline has violated the Montreal convention of 1999.
The director consumer protection of the NCAA explained that the passengers ought to have arrived with their luggage under normal circumstances.
He regretted that over two days after arrival, their luggage were yet to arrive.
He announced a fine of $150 dollars to be paid by Arik per passenger in accordance with the Montreal convention.
In his words: “The compensation for delayed luggage according to Montreal Convention of 1999 is S150 dollars , Arik has failed in its duty because that compensation should have come the moment the passenger lands without his bag. They have not done that and they are agreeing with the passengers who agreed to waived part of his right to collect S50 dollars as against to S150 dollars.
We have also directed Arik to bring in the balance of their luggage for all passengers in the next 24 hours, we have written Arik in that direction and they are complying but that does not stop sanction because violation has taken place”
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While condemning the action of Arik Air as a national embarrassment, Adamu appealed to passengers to to bear with NCAA as the full sanction will bring down the airlines if applied.
He however assured that the airline will definitely pay for the consequences of their action.
Against this development, Adamu has warned all airlines both domestic and foreign that sanction will be meted out to them in the case of luggage default.
A statement by the NCAA signed by the general manager public affairs, Sam Adurogboye said a letter to that effect has been issued by the Authority to Arik Airlines.
Adurogboye stated that the airline has been given 48 hours within which the backlog of all short landed baggage must be ferried into Lagos.
He explained in the statement that the NCAA has also in line with Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) 2015, part 19, directed that all passengers with short landed baggage MUST be offered CARE and compensation in line with part 19. 17. 2.1 (b) of the Regulation.
“A compliance report including but not limited to the list of affected passengers, details of passengers handling should be forwarded to the Authority within 96 hours from the receipt of the letter from the Authority.
Passengers are also enjoined to exercise restraint while dealing with such challenging issues in the airports. Flight delays are normal occurrences in aviation and rather than resort to violence, passengers are assured of the readiness of NCAA to continue to protect the rights and privileges of all stakeholders within the ambit of the law so as to ensure safety and security of the aviation industry,” he concluded in the statement.
