NCAA’s Delayed Report: Facts Behind Airline Disruptions

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) recently published statistics revealing that over 60% of domestic flights were delayed or cancelled. Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines were identified as the top disruptors. While airlines must be held accountable, a closer look at the data uncovers systemic issues and external factors beyond their control that contribute significantly to operational challenges.

The NCAA report largely focused on delays and cancellations without providing additional critical data such as passenger load factors, airport constraints, weather-related disruptions, or infrastructure limitations. Apron congestion is a major challenge, particularly at Lagos and Abuja airports, where limited space can lead to delays as aircraft wait for clearance to push back.

Poor navigational infrastructure, like the lack of fully functional Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), also hinders low-visibility operations, causing delays during adverse weather conditions. Bird strikes are another frequent issue, especially given Nigeria’s dense vegetation and wetlands around airports, which attract large bird populations and result in numerous strikes annually.

VIP movements, which require temporary airspace closures, can significantly disrupt schedules. Technical issues, too, are unavoidable despite rigorous maintenance, with safety always taking precedence over schedule integrity. Lastly, Foreign Object Debris (FOD) on runways and taxiways poses a risk to aircraft safety. The NCAA’s report raises questions about the selection of August as the reporting month, given the impact of industrial actions, bird-strike incidents, aircraft damage, and other extraordinary disruptions on airline operations.