Allen Onyeama, the chairman of Air Peace, publicly admitted on Friday that staff of his airline sometimes violate regulations, according to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, shared the admission in a post on X (formerly Twitter), explaining that Onyeama acknowledged the enforcement actions taken by the regulatory body against Air Peace.
Onyeama reportedly admitted that his airline had not always complied with NCAA regulations, particularly regarding the timely processing of refunds. He stated that he had instructed his staff to ensure refunds are processed within the timeframes specified in Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.
“Today, the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyeama, publicly accepted the enforcement actions initiated by the NCAA. He acknowledged the infractions by his staff and cautioned them to comply with the regulations,” Achimugu wrote.
The Air Peace chairman expressed his satisfaction that the NCAA had acted, saying, “I am glad that this has happened. I have warned my team. This shows that the NCAA knows what they are doing. I will always acknowledge it where the fault is ours.”
Achimugu praised Onyeama for his honesty and commitment to ensuring compliance, while reassuring passengers that the NCAA would continue to protect their rights.
Earlier this week, the NCAA announced enforcement actions against five airlines, including Air Peace and Ethiopian Airlines, for violating its regulations. Both airlines acknowledged their violations and committed to complying with the NCAA’s standards going forward.
Achimugu noted, “This is the first time in over a decade that the NCAA Consumer Protection Department is initiating sanctions against airlines. It will no longer be business as usual, as we continue our duty to protect both airlines and passengers impartially.”
The enforcement action follows numerous customer complaints regarding flight delays, cancellations, and delays in processing refunds, with airlines like Air Peace being specifically criticized on social media for poor customer service, luggage handling, and frequent delays.
On December 10, the NCAA issued a warning to airlines, threatening sanctions against those that fail to process ticket refunds within the stipulated timeframes.