The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that it will now begin to “name and shame” airlines that cancel flights and abandon passengers at airports without making proper arrangements for their welfare.

The agency’s spokesperson, Michael Achimugu, disclosed this in a statement shared on X, stressing that the days of airlines walking away from their responsibilities are over.

According to him, aviation regulations clearly state that passengers stranded between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. must be provided with hotel accommodation.

“If an airline has kept passengers at the terminal up to midnight before cancelling a flight, they OWE their passengers hotel accommodation,” Achimugu said.

He condemned the frequent situation where airline staff vanish during cancellations, leaving NCAA’s Consumer Protection Officers to deal with angry passengers. He described such conduct as unacceptable and dangerous.

While acknowledging the challenges operators face in Nigeria’s aviation sector, Achimugu insisted that any business that chooses to operate must do so responsibly.

He added that the federal government has directed the NCAA to start exposing airlines that fail to comply, noting that sanctions will be applied to offenders.

“The Authority will apply the fullest measures possible. We will not abandon the letters of our regulations. The naming and shaming will commence,” he stated.

This move is expected to pressure airlines into improving customer service and ensure passengers are treated with dignity whenever flight disruptions occur.