The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has stepped up regulatory action against airlines over persistent flight delays, following a disruption of nearly 60 percent of domestic flights in August.
The NCAA said 4,765 of the 7,961 domestic flights operated by 15 airlines during the month were delayed, while 36 were cancelled.
Air Peace recorded the highest number of delays, with 1,330 of its 1,864 flights delayed, representing 71.4 percent of its operations.
United Nigeria Airlines recorded the highest delay rate, with 943 of its 1,231 flights delayed, or 76.6 percent. It also had the highest number of cancellations, with eight.
NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu said the regulator had met with Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines, and Max Air over the disruptions and issued stern warnings.
The latest figures followed a warning by NCAA Director-General Chris Najomo, who urged airlines to align their flight schedules with available aircraft and crew and improve contingency planning and communication with passengers.
Najomo said factors such as weather, diversions, and airport restrictions could contribute to disruptions but stressed that airlines must maintain adequate operational buffers.
Aviation expert John Ojikutu, however, attributed the recurring delays partly to weak enforcement of regulations and poor business planning by airlines.
He called for stronger regulatory enforcement and urged airlines to design their schedules and routes around realistic passenger demand and available resources.
Of the 4,765 delayed flights in August, 2,801 were delayed by between 16 minutes and one hour, 1,322 by one to two hours, and 407 by two to three hours, while 235 were delayed for at least three hours.
