Airlines across the nation’s airports have faced protests from air travelers angry about constant delays or failures in the processing of their luggage in both domestic and international flights throughout 2024.
A recent executive summary from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority regarding both international and domestic flights revealed that as many as 47,923 pieces of passenger baggage were reported lost or significantly delayed during the reviewed period.
The summary indicated that even though the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority projected an uptick in passenger traffic to reach 25.73 million by 2029, there has actually been a decrease from 15.8 million in 2023 down to 15,655,273 by the close of 2024.
The report indicates that among the 30 international airlines, approximately 26 reported 47,493 instances of lost or late luggage during this timeframe. Additionally, out of the 15 domestic carriers, 10 noted 430 cases of misplaced or delayed bags.
Nevertheless, 43,569 pieces of the lost or late baggage were subsequently located, whereas the remaining 4,354 items were not recovered by the airlines during the specified timeframe as per the report.
Out of the international carriers, 43,140 bags were located during the specified period, whereas the domestic airlines reported having 429 bags, with just one being missing.
In January, security specialist Ahmed Rabiu brought Virgin Atlantic Airways to a Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking compensation of $4000 for lost baggage along with an additional N20 million in damages.
As per the legal papers acquired by our reporter, Rabiu had checked his baggage aboard Virgin Atlantic Flight Number CNY3JV departing from London Heathrow to Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos on September 24, 2024; however, he was unable to locate his bags upon arrival in Lagos.
Additionally, Michael Achimugu, who serves as the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, has recently assured that the commission will implement stringent actions against airlines responsible for delaying or losing passengers’ baggage.
The regulatory body stated that they would enforce penalties of $170 and ₦10,000 on international and domestic carriers, respectively, for late baggage handling as an initial step to deter this behavior.
In October in Abuja, the NCAA announced that travelers could seek compensation of up to $1,000 for lost baggage on domestic flights and 1,288 Special Drawing Rights for international routes.
Passengers react
At Murtala Muhammed Airport, a passenger named Idris Olakunle stated that airlines should adhere to professionalism by adhering to global standards, emphasizing that various carriers have led him to lose possessions amounting to millions.
He sighed, “If an airline misplaces or loses your baggage, they’ll find it quickly; however, here their behavior can leave you feeling as though someone stole your suitcase. At one point, I was so furious that I considered taking legal action, but my spouse prevented me from doing so.”
Regulators need to step up their efforts so that these airlines take notice and cease their careless handling of passengers’ belongings.
A fellow traveler, Ms Adediran Williams, mentioned that she had lost her gold, and noted that the airline seemed indifferent about the situation. She firmly believed that it had been stolen rather than simply mislaid.
She stated, “On that day, my destination was London. Upon arriving at the airport in Lagos, I disclosed both the cash and the gold I had with me. This information was documented at the airport itself; therefore, how did they claim that the gold disappeared? The truth is, my gold was stolen, and I followed all necessary procedures. Indeed, I informed the authorities at the airport about this issue, yet ultimately, no action was taken.”
Since that occurrence, I have not carried such valuable items in my travel bag. Instead, I store them in my handbag. It’s crucial for everyone to address this issue; otherwise, they’ll continue taking advantage of us and stealing our possessions. That’s absurd! I’m furious about this.
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