Airline operators in the country have been directed by the federal government to refund the full cost of travel tickets to passengers after a two-hour delay.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika who gave the directive at the weekly State House briefing in Aso Villa, Abuja on Thursday July 8, also read some of the rights of aviation passengers at the briefing.
Sirika urged passengers to demand their rights whenever they are being trampled upon by airlines.
He said;
“On domestic flights, delay beyond one hour, carrier should provide refreshment, and one telephone call, or one SMS, or one e-mail. They should send you an SMS or email or call you to say, ‘I am sorry, I am delaying for one hour’.
“Delay for two hours and beyond, the carrier shall reimburse passengers the full volume of their tickets.
“Delay between 10pm and 4am, carrier shall provide hotel accommodation, refreshment, meal, two free calls, SMS, email and transport to-and-fro airport.”
The Minister who further revealed that same rules apply for international flights, added that his ministry has started sanctioning some airlines who default on consumer rights.