NCAA mandates airlines to include 'Special Needs' options to ticketing system

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has ordered all domestic airlines to immediately integrate a mandatory special needs or assistance request option into their ticket reservation platforms to support Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) and passengers with disabilities.The directive, contained in a press release on Friday, signed by Michael Achimugu for the Director-General of Civil Aviation, reinforces existing regulatory requirements and is aimed at ensuring inclusive, accessible and safe air travel across Nigeria.The authority recalled its earlier correspondence dated April 13, 2022, which instructed airlines to conspicuously place a mandatory field, box or column on their online ticket booking platforms to enable passengers to request assistance or provide advance notice of special needs before completing ticket purchases.According to the NCAA, the directive is further backed by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023, Part 19.12.3.1, which mandates airlines, travel agents and tour operators to provide travellers with the opportunity to request assistance at the point of booking across all sales channels, including online platforms and telephone reservations.The regulations also require airlines to include a designated section on ticket portals through which persons with disabilities or their assistants can request special needs assistance, while actively enquiring if any passenger within a booking party may require assistance at the airport or during flight operations.In view of this, the NCAA directed all affected airlines to conspicuously integrate the mandatory special needs assistance request option into their reservation systems, ensuring that passengers can request such support before completing the ticket purchase process.Airlines have been given seven days from the receipt of the directive to comply, with the Authority warning that failure to do so may attract regulatory enforcement actions in line with applicable aviation laws.

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