NCAA Slams N5m Fine on Qatar Airways Over Consumer Rights Violations

NCAA has slammed N5m fine on Qatar Airways over consumer rights violations.

 

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has fined Qatar Airways N5 million for breaching Nigeria’s aviation consumer protection rules, in what officials describe as a renewed push to hold airlines accountable.

 

The sanction was announced on Wednesday by the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, who confirmed the development in a post on X.

 

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“Glad to announce that today, the NCAA has sanctioned @qatarairways to the tune of five million naira for consumer protection-related infractions,” Achimugu wrote. He added that letters of investigation (LOI) issued to the airline over additional complaints could result in more penalties if not satisfactorily addressed.

 

Background of Violations

In September, the NCAA had accused Qatar Airways of repeatedly mistreating Nigerian passengers and failing to comply with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023, which governs consumer rights. The regulator had warned the airline of severe consequences for allegedly ignoring directives.

 

The latest case concerns a Nigerian passenger who was accused of sexual harassment by a Qatar Airways cabin crew member during boarding in Lagos on a flight to the U.S. via Doha.

 

The complaint, however, was not filed until the aircraft arrived in Doha, where the passenger was arrested, detained for 18 hours, fined, and compelled to sign a document written entirely in Arabic. Qatar Airways then refused to complete his journey, forcing him to buy a new ticket—an experience the NCAA described as both unjust and harmful.

 

The NCAA invited the airline’s country manager for a meeting over the matter, but he allegedly failed to appear, sending junior staff instead.

 

NCAA Warns Airlines Against Disregarding Nigerian Regulations

 

Achimugu noted that some airlines may act with disrespect toward Nigerian regulations because their home countries lack strong consumer protection laws.

 

“This is not a situation we will accept here,” he warned.
“It is against the law for ANY airline not to respond to the NCAA. It is against the law to provide false information. It is against the law to disregard Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.”

 

He disclosed that Royal Air Maroc and Saudi Air have also been cautioned for similar violations and may face tough sanctions if they continue to flout directives.

 

The NCAA says it remains committed to defending Nigerian passengers and enforcing compliance across all carriers operating within the country.