TheCable

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) on Monday ordered Aero Contractors Airline to pay monetary compensation to passengers of its flight AJ132,  who were left stranded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on November 8, 2013.

Speaking in Lagos, Dupe Atoki, director-general of CPC, said that the council has given the airline 90 days to comply with the Passenger Bill of Rights developed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

According to Atoki, the passengers should be paid N5,000 for snacks and drinks due to them after one hour of delay, and meals and drinks due after two hours of delay.

Other payments include N1,000 for two free telephone calls, SMS or email; N10,000 for return transportation to and from hotel
accommodation in Abuja; N25,000 for one night of hotel accommodation, and 25 per cent of the passengers’ ticket values for the cancellation of the flight without notice.

Apart from the payment, the council has also ordered the airline to present, within 30 days, written assurances that it will refrain from any conduct that will be detrimental to the interest of consumers.

Furthermore, Aero Contractors was mandated to review and submit to the council within 90 days, its disruption and crisis management manual. It is to also establish platforms in each airport in Nigeria and other locations to facilitate on-the-spot resolution of consumer complaints, and report to the council within 180 days.

Flight AJ132 was scheduled to convey 135 passengers to Lagos from Abuja, but failed to take off as expected at 6pm. The passengers were delayed for 15 hours, till 9am the following day, leaving 39 of them stranded overnight at the airport.

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