The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has threatened to sanction airlines for deporting Nigeria passengers or denying them boarding halfway to their destinations due to visa/travel restrictions.
The regulatory body said the action, which is becoming rampant recently, was causing significant distress to passengers and tarnishing the reputation of the aviation industry in Nigeria and will not be acceptable.
Director, consumer protection and public affairs of NCAA, Michael Achimugu, who stated this on Thursday, noted that the agency “has received several complaints about airlines selling tickets to passengers, only to airlift them halfway to their destinations and deport them back to Nigeria.
“These actions, which involve the refusal of boarding/entry at intermediate/transit stops to some Nigerians due to visa/travel restrictions are causing significant distress to passengers and tarnishing the reputation of the aviation industry in Nigeria.
“The NCAA finds such practices completely unacceptable. It is the responsibility of airlines to inform passengers about any potential barriers to their admissibility at their destination before they commence their travel. Passengers should not be put in a position where they are denied entry or returned to Nigeria only on arrival at intermediate/transit stops.”
