Passengers Bill of Rights

In March 2012, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority published a Notice of Proposed Rule Making in respect of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulation to provide for the Passengers Bill of Rights. The proposal was circulated to stakeholders in the sector.

On Thursday 11 July 2013, the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Fola Akinkuotu, announced to the public that the Passengers Bill of Rights will take effect by the end of July 2013.




The Passengers Bill of Rights is provided for under Part 18 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations. It provides for the rights and obligations of passengers and air carriers. The regulation shall apply where:

(a) There is an incidence of “No-show” and Overbooking;
(b) Passengers are denied boarding against their will;
(c) A scheduled flight is delayed;
(d) A scheduled flight is cancelled.

The regulation allows air passengers to claim compensation for flight delays, flight cancellations without prior notice.

The regulation applies to passengers travelling within Nigeria and international flights.Compensation for international flights will not apply where the passenger has already been compensated in the foreign country.

The conditions for its application are:

1. A passenger has a confirmed reservation on that particular flight.
2. A passenger whose reserved flight was transferred from his initial carrier to another carrier.
3. The regulation will not apply to passengers travelling free of charge or at a reduced fare not available to the public.
4. The regulation will not apply where a packaged tour is cancelled for reasons other than cancellation of flight.

Nigerians should take advantage of this regulation as there have been plethora of cases where passengers flight are delayed or cancelled without prior notice.

Don't sit on your right and don't claim ignorance.