Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo says, airlines will soon be made to compensate passengers for delays and cancellation of flights.

He said domestic airlines operators must be responsible to the Nigerian people and avoid abusing their rights when they fly with them.

Speaking with Aviation Correspondents after a tour of the Lagos airports, Mr. Keyamo said, regulations regarding delays and cancellation of flights are in place but not enforced.

According to him, he would give the airlines some space for now to do the right thing and if they fail to do so, the enforcement of the regulations would start.

“If you abuse the rights of passengers you will pay. The regulations are there, we are not enforcing them”.

On the complaints of abuse of Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA by foreign airlines in Nigeria, the Aviation Minister stressed that, one of his cardinal objectives is to develop the industry, protect and support local operators.

He however noted that the operators must do what is expected of them to merit the protection and support they deserve.
“Am prepared to protect the rights of local operators and in fact it is one of my cardinal objectives because we have to develop the industry and we have to protect and support our local operators and its going to be and they must give me comfort too and give the Nigerian people comfort so that’s the problem, have told them”.

Mr. Keyamo stated that he is responsible to the Nigerian people and owns his absolute loyalty to President Bola Tinubu.