The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed airlines operating in Nigeria to provide mandatory special needs assistance options on their ticket reservation platforms.
The NCAA gave the directive through a memo it published on Friday which was signed by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of NCAA, Michael Achimugu.
According to the memo, “The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has reiterated its directive to all domestic airlines operating in Nigeria to ensure full compliance with provisions for Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) and passengers with disabilities by incorporating a mandatory Special Needs/Assistance request feature on their ticket reservation systems.”
The agency noted that the order was in line with international best practices and part of earlier directive issued by the Nigerian government in 2022 to airlines, especially domestic carriers operating in the country. The directive makes it mandatory for airlines to “conspicuously” indicate on their booking platforms a “box, or column” where a special need passenger can indicate the support they may require.
“The Authority recalls its earlier correspondence with Reference No. NCAA/CPD/585/1/22 dated April 13, 2022, which directed all domestic airlines to conspicuously place on their online ticket reservation platforms a mandatory field, box, or column,” the agency recalled.
The NCAA noted that the directive is also reinforced by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023, Part 19.12.3.1, which mandates that during reservation, airlines, travel agents, and tour operators shall:
“ Provide travelers the opportunity to request assistance at the point of booking across all ticket sales channels, including online platforms and telephone reservations;
• Mandatorily include on ticket portals a designated field or column through which persons with disabilities or their assistants may request special needs assistance while booking or purchasing flight tickets; and
• Actively enquire whether any passenger within a booking party may require assistance at the airport and/or during flight operations.
In view of the foregoing, the NCAA has directed all affected airlines to conspicuously integrate a mandatory special needs assistance request option into their ticket reservation systems, ensuring that passengers are able to request such assistance before completing the ticket purchase process.
Airlines are required to comply within seven (7) days of receipt of this directive. Non-compliance may attract regulatory enforcement in line with applicable aviation regulations.
The NCAA remains committed to ensuring inclusive, accessible, and safe air travel for all passengers