The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA has wielded the big stick on Arik air for its inability to ferry passengers’ luggage 48 hours after arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Lagos by asking the airline to pay each passenger $150 as compensation.
The Director Consumer Protection Directorate of NCAA, Mr Abdullahi Adamu, who disclosed this yesterday in an interview with aviation correspondents at the International wing of the MMIA in Lagos, shortly after addressing stranded irate Arik passengers said the airline has violated the Montreal convention of 1999.
Abdullahi said under normal circumstances, the passengers ought to have arrived with their luggage but regretted that over two days after arrival, their luggage were yet to arrive.
He announced a fine of S150 dollars on Arik per passenger in accordance with the Montreal convention. “The compensation for delayed luggage, according to Montreal Convention of 1999 is S150 dollars. Arik has failed in its duty because that compensation should have come the moment the passenger lands without his or her bag. They have not done that and they are agreeing with the passengers who agreed to waive part of their rights to collect S50 dollars as against the S150 dollars.
“We have also directed Arik to bring in the balance of their luggage for all passengers in the next 24 hours. We have written Arik in that direction and they are complying but that does not stop sanction because violation has taken place”
