NCAA kicks as CPC summons Arik Air over alleged customers’ rights violation

 

By Sade Williams

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has summoned Arik Air Ltd to answer questions relating to rights infringement leveled against it by some customers.

The summons followed complaints of alleged ill-treatment of the airline’s passengers on recent London-Lagos flights.

 An official of the CPC in its legal department confirmed to the Travel Port that Arik officials would appear before it on December 19, 2016.

But in a swift reaction, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), said the Council has no expertise to handle such cases, saying the Authority has resolved it.

Sam Adurogboye, its spokesman said the issue has has to do with air transport, adding that it is only the NCAA that has the expertise to resolve it.

“This issue came up last year, the CPC has no expertise to handle this, besides, the Arik issue relating to luggage has been resolved by the NCAA, all the passengers on that flight have received their luggage and the issue resolved here in accordance with civil aviation regulations, so what is the CPC going to ask Arik again”, he said.

Meanwhile, in the summons, the CPC asked the airline’s chief executive officer, Mr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide, the chief operating officer, Mr. Conor Prendergast as well as the managing director, Mr. Chris Ndulue, to appear before it December on 19, 2016.

 

The Council stated that it received “complaints/information from the public and passengers on board Arik Air flights from London to Lagos between December 2 and 5, 2016 alleging that the flights arrived at the Murtala Muhammed Airport…without the passengers’ luggage and without prior information.”

“The passengers, many of whom had connecting flights to Cameroon, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan could not continue their journeys as a result of the non-arrival of their luggage from London, while some passengers on the said flights could not have access to personal supplies, baby food or medication.

“Arik Air Ltd did not provide the passengers with temporary accommodation for transit; neither was there any customer service desk to assist the passengers in resolving their individual complaints,” said CPC.

It further stated that it issued the summons in line with sections 8, 15 and 18 of its (CPC’s) enabling Act.