NCAA Reaffirms 14-Day Refund Rule, Warns Airlines Against Violations

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a stern warning to domestic airlines, demanding an immediate halt to the practice of informing passengers that ticket refunds take four weeks to process.

In an official statement released on Monday, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, emphasized that this four-week claim directly contravenes the regulator’s established 14-day refund deadline as mandated by Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.

“There can’t be two captains-in-command on an aircraft. The NCAA regulations are clear,” Achimugu stated. “Operators cannot create a different rule in this regard.”

The authority has called on passengers who have been given a four-week refund timeline to forward the relevant communication directly to designated NCAA email addresses for investigation and action.

This enforcement reminder comes amid a rise in passenger complaints over delayed refunds for flight cancellations and disruptions. The NCAA has previously described timely refunds as a “low-hanging fruit” and reiterated its commitment to sanctioning any airline that fails to comply with the stipulated timeframe.