NCAA directs airlines to include special needs request on ticket systems
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has reiterated its directive to all domestic airlines operating in the country to comply fully with provisions for Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) and passengers with disabilities.
In a statement signed on Friday by Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, for the Director-General of Civil Aviation, the Authority directed airlines to incorporate a mandatory special needs or assistance request feature on their ticket reservation systems.
The NCAA recalled an earlier correspondence dated 13 April 2022, with Reference No. NCAA/CPD/585/1/22, which required domestic airlines to conspicuously include a field, box or column on their online ticketing platforms to enable passengers to request assistance or notify airlines of special needs before purchasing tickets.
The directive, the Authority noted, is further reinforced by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023, Part 19.12.3.1, which mandates airlines, travel agents and tour operators to provide travellers the opportunity to request assistance at the point of booking across all ticket sales channels, including online and telephone reservations.
Under the regulations, airlines are also required to mandatorily include a designated field on ticket portals through which persons with disabilities or their assistants can request special needs assistance, and to actively enquire whether any passenger within a booking party may require assistance at the airport or during flight operations.
The NCAA therefore directed all affected airlines to conspicuously integrate a mandatory special needs assistance request option into their ticket reservation systems to ensure passengers can request such assistance before completing ticket purchases.
Airlines have been given seven days from receipt of the directive to comply, with the Authority warning that failure to do so may attract regulatory enforcement in line with applicable aviation regulations.
The NCAA reaffirmed its commitment to promoting inclusive, accessible and safe air travel for all passengers.
