Fleecing of Nigerian passengers: NCAA hammers Ethiopian Airline

For imposing unauthorized charges on its Nigerian passengers, Ethiopian Airline has incurred the wrath of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)
The regulatory authority has ordered the airline to immediately stop the collection of such illegal charges.
A statement signed by the General Manager, Public Relations, of the civil aviation authority, Sam Adurogboye stated that these unauthorised charges referred to by the airline as Refundable Deportation Fee is put at between $75 (Seventy five dollars) and $150 (One Hundred and Fifty US dollars) must be stopped immediately.
Adurogboye said in the statement that all South Africa bound Nigerian passengers on Ethiopian Airlines are compelled to pay this amount before boarding.
“The Authority has been inundated with several complaints from many passengers that have suffered this fate.
According to investigation by NCAA, all outbound passengers to South Africa from Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA), Lagos and Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, transiting through Addis Ababa, are liable to pay $75 dollars. However, if your transiting time is 24 hours or beyond, the passenger will pay $150 dollars.
While passengers are not given prior notice concerning these charges before arriving at the airports, some were made to sign undertaken to be responsible for all expenses incurred if deported,” Adurogboye explained.
He noted that the airlines’ Country management was summoned by NCAA; they claimed the fees were always refunded when a passenger was not deported.
He said the Regulatory Authority has found this unacceptable and viewed it as a violation of the Authority’s extant regulations.
He concluded in the statement that: “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) Part 18.4.1(iii) stipulates that “all air carriers should obtain approval from the Authority to introduce or increase add-on charges or surcharges prior to implementation.”
He said the authority has not received any request for fare increase, tariff “On this strength, Ethiopian Airlines has been ordered to stop with immediate effect these illegal charges. The Airline could take advantage of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CAR) and obtain necessary approvals from the Authority if it has genuine grounds to increase fares or obtain tariffs,” the NCAA’s spokesperson declared.
To forestall a repeat of such illegal practice from any other airline, The NCAA therefore warned that all operating airlines must endeavour to adhere to the Regulations in all facets of their operations, saying, “It is part of our statutory responsibilities to protect the rights of passengers and this we shall continue to do in accordance to the law”.