FG releases list of Nigerian Airlines with most flight delays in 2023, Air Peace, Max Air, other guilty

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said Air Peace delayed domestic flights in the first three months of 2023.

The aviation regulator disclosed the information in a report on Nigeria's international and domestic flight operations.

NCAA said of the 18,288 domestic flights in the first quarter of 2023, 10,128 flights were delayed, representing 55%, and 284 canceled flights, representing 1.55%.

The report said Aero Contractors, Arik Air, Azman Air, Dana, Air, Air Peace, Ibom Air, United Nigeria Airlines, Green Africa, Value Jet, and Overland Airways worked during the period under review.

Air Peace led the pack, with 6,521 flights and 3,754 delayed flights, representing 51%. Max Air recorded 1,565 flights, with 1,013 flights delayed, representing 60%; Arik Air had 1,619 flights, with 926 delayed flights, about 47%.

United Nigeria Airlines had 910 flight delays out of the 1,243 flights recorded. Ibom Air, per the report, operated 2,312 flights with 746 delayed flights, while Aero Contractors recorded 1,123 flights with delayed flights.

Overland Airways operated 719 flights, with 605 flights delayed; Dana Air recorded 711 flights and delayed 474, while Green Africa operated 1,182 flights, with 443 delays.

Azman Air operated 527 flights with 385 delays, and Value Jet operated 766 flights with 248 flight delays.

TheCable reports that erstwhile aviation minister Hadi Sirika said in June last year that airline operators in Nigeria must refund the cost of travel tickets to passengers after a two-hour flight delay.

It needs to be clarified whether foreign or domestic airlines reimbursed passengers for delayed flights.