3 important Rights passengers should know before boarding a plane

By Nneka Nwogwugwu

Many Nigerian passengers buy airline tickets without being aware of their rights fully stipulated by aviation regulatory bodies.

NatureNews on Sunday, June 4, spotted a woman who was in rage over the postponement of her flight without her notice at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The woman, name undisclosed, left the airport angry, without any options of meeting up with another flight.

This is just one out of many persons who have had such terrible experiences without knowing that they are entitled to some rights at the airport.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, on Thursday made a timely response on such cases.

Sirika, spoke on Thursday at the weekly State House Briefing in Aso Villa, Abuja, while directing airline operators to refund 100% airfares to passengers after a two-hour delay.

The minister noted that the ministry has started sanctioning some airlines who default on consumer rights.

He read some of the rights of aviation passengers at the briefing and charged them to demand their rights whenever they are being trampled upon by airlines.

1. “On domestic flights, delay beyond one hour, carrier should provide refreshment, and one telephone call, or one SMS, or one e-mail. They should send you an SMS or email or call you to say, ‘I am sorry, I am delaying for one hour’.

2. “Delay for two hours and beyond, the carrier shall reimburse passengers the full volume of their tickets.

3. “Delay between 10pm and 4am, carrier shall provide hotel accommodation, refreshment, meal, two free calls, SMS, email and transport to-and-fro airport.”

The Minister added that the same rules apply for international flights.