Passengers on an Air Tanzania flight from Dar es Salaam to Lagos were deboarded on Friday after a technical fault was detected on the aircraft.
Gatekeepers News reports that NCAA had addressed the incident in a post on X, directing Air Tanzania to provide hotel accommodation and meals for the stranded passengers.
Michael Achimugu, director of public affairs and consumer protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), revealed that the problem was discovered after passengers had already boarded.
The authority also urged the airline to give timely updates on the status of the flight, citing Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.
The post reads, “One of the passengers has an unmissable visa interview Monday morning. If you are unable to operate over the weekend, please make provision for ticket refunds as some of your pax may opt to purchase tickets on other airlines if you fail to reprotect them on other airlines.”
“While the NCAA is available to support you in any way possible, it would be appreciated if you complied with the regulations. We have explained the ramifications of a technical fault to your passengers, and they understand that safety comes first. Kindly treat them with the courtesies they are entitled to.”
Michael Achimugu, the authority’s director of public affairs and consumer protection, added that the same assistance should be provided to passengers stranded in Lagos for their outbound flights, noting that the NCAA is engaging travellers at both ends.
Providing an update on Saturday morning, Achimugu said passengers had been given hotel accommodation and meals, and that the airline had assured them they would be flown to Lagos later that day, despite not normally operating weekend flights to Nigeria.
He added that the situation will be monitored until the passengers arrive safely.
