The Federal Government is engaging stakeholders in the aviation fuel supply chain to ensure the product is available airlines, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has disclosed.
The engagement the authority said is to clear hurdles currently associated with the supply of the product, which has had ripple effects on airline operations for weeks running.
Many domestic carriers have recorded flight cancellations and delays at many airports nationwide leading to loss of millions of Naira.
Yesterday the NCAA called on passengers experiencing flight delays and cancellations arising from the scarcity of aviation fuel to exercise restraint.
The General Manager, Public Relations of the authority, Mr Sam Adurogboye disclosed this in Lagos.
Adurogboye said the call has become necessary due to reports of passengers’ rage and violence from some of the nation’s airports in the last few days.
Adurogboye said in some some cases irate passengers have resorted to wanton destruction of certain facilities at the airports to ventilate their anger.
According to him: “The Regulatory Authority agrees absolutely with the passengers that the conditions of carriage on their tickets must be upheld by the operating airlines. In other words, it is our statutory responsibility to ensure that passengers derive value for their money.
“In addition, NCAA is well primed to ensure that all aggrieved passengers’ complaints are professionally handled by our Consumer Protection Officers. These include flight cancellations, delays, missing baggage, denied boarding among others.”
The regulatory authority informed all passengers that it is aware of the prevailing scarcity of Jet A1 which has inevitably led to flight cancellations and delays by the airlines, adding that it has also taken cognisance of concerted efforts being made by the airlines to ensure that all passengers are ferried without any hitches.
The NCAA spokesman said the federal government of Nigeria is already engaging all the stakeholders involved with the procurement and distribution of aviation fuel to ensure availability in earnest.
He enjoined all passengers to exercise caution while expressing their grievances as the airlines are grappling with the challenges thrown up by the non- availability of Jet A1.
On the other hand, he urged the airline operators to adhere strictly to the Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) in their operations.
Adurogboye advised airline operators that the passengers must be informed of any development concerning their flights well ahead of time.
The NCAA call for caution on the part of the passengers and airline operators to adhere strictly to the Standard and Recommended Practices is coming on the heels of the reported cases of beating up of a passenger by staff of Arik Air on Sunday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja who complained about the cancellation of his flight for the whole day and therefore demanded for a refund of his money.
Aviation fuel scarcity last week crippled the aviation industry with flight schedule disruptions.
Arik Air described the scarcity as the worst this year.
It attributed the scarcity to inadequate supply of aviation fuel.