Flight delays, missing luggage top passengers’ complaints – Report

Cases of missing luggage and flight delays were the major complaints lodged by passengers against domestic and international airlines in the first quarter of 2016, according to a report by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

The report entitled, ‘Summary reports of complaints received against international and domestic airlines for the months of January, February and March 2016’, added that 1,282 flights were operated by 35 airlines in January

The report indicated that most complaints were made against Arik Air, which had 205 flights, 96 delays, three cancelled flights, 27,791 inbound passengers, 33,055 outbound passengers and 28 unresolved complaints and compensation claims.

The French carrier, Air France, had the highest number of pilferage and discourtesies as 104 cases of stolen luggage were reported and documented.

The airline had 81 flights in January, with 31 delayed, no cancellation and 133 unresolved complaints and inability to compensate travellers.

It also had 17,294 inbound passengers, 18,197 outbound passengers and 361 cases of missing baggage found.

The Dubai-based Emirates Airlines had the highest number of inbound and outbound passengers, which were given as 35,774 and 36,627, respectively. This, the report added, made the airline to be the highest revenue earner in Nigeria, followed by the British Airways.

Emirates’ high inbound and outbound passenger traffic was attributed to the fact that the carrier had two daily frequencies to Lagos.

In total, the 35 carriers carried 221,136 inbound passengers, while 242,711 departed the country through the airports during the review period.

The report stated that 1,282 flights operated on international routes, while 5,399 flights flew to domestic destinations.

Eight domestic airlines were in operation during the period, the report stated, adding that the carriers operated 5,399 flights, recorded 3,029 delays and 120 cancelled flights, with 346,579 inbound passengers and 367,558 outbound passengers.

For the month of February, 1,251 flights operated on international routes, while 5,143 operated on domestic routes.

For the month, all the international airlines recorded 489 delays, eight cancelled flights, 571 cases of missing baggage and 275 cases of pilferage.

Olawunmi Ojo