NCAA Alerts Passengers on Weather Related Cancellations

By Chuks Okoh
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advised all passengers at airports to demonstrate exceptional calm and understanding when flights are cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.
A press release signed by Mr Fan Ndubuoke general manager public affairs, said the onset of the raining season was usually accompanied with thunderstorms, lightning and turbulence. The most severe of them being the wind shear.
“When wind shear occurs along the flight path, it causes abrupt and substantial displacement of the aircraft from its intended path which becomes extremely hazardous for aircraft taking off and landing.
Other hazards associated with rainfall includes microburst, hail,lightning, low ceiling and visibility, icing, altimeter error and engine water ingestion”.
“In other words, the rains being experienced now may result in occasional flight cancellations/delays. Airline’s Pilots are mandatorily required to obtain en route/destination weather information before the operation of a flight. They are also required to abort a flight if the weather condition is unsafe for operation”.
The statement added that, the Directorate of Consumer Protection (DCP) of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) expects the airline officials to ensure sustained communication to the affected passengers if and when flight cancellation/delays is anticipated or occurs.
He urged passengers to remain calm, avoid violence and confrontation with the airline officials as this measure was to ensure their safety adding that NCAA’s primary responsibility was to ensure safe and secure air transportation in the country. “We will therefore enjoin intending passengers to exercise restraint/understanding in the event of any weather related cancellations/delays”.
“It is pertinent to draw the attention of both the operators and passengers to the rights, responsibilities and limitations of all the parties as spelt out in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2012 [NigCAR] Part 19.5.3 which state thus: *”An operating airline shall not be obliged to pay compensation for cancellation if it can prove that the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures have been taken.”
NCAA explained that any air operator who delays or cancels flight due to adverse weather conditions was merely upholding the Standard and Recommended Practices in the industry worldwide and as spelt out in our regulations.