Passengers must switch off phones during flights – NCAA
Following a recent increase in disruptive incidents, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a new directive: all passengers must turn off their phones and other electronic devices during flights.
This move aims to standardize rules across Nigerian airlines and eliminate the confusion caused by differing policies.
During a press conference in Abuja, Chris Najomo, the Director General of the NCAA, announced that passengers must completely switch off their devices during the crucial phases of takeoff and landing.
This new rule was prompted by a highly publicised altercation between a passenger, Comfort Emmanson, and a flight attendant on an Ibom Air flight, an event that has sparked widespread public debate.
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Najomo emphasised that the days of using “flight mode” are over. “As a takeaway and to avoid ambiguity and confusion, all mobile phones and other portable electric devices should be switched off during the critical stage of flight on all Nigerian airlines,” he stated. “Switch off. Nothing like flight mode any longer.”
He also confirmed that this new requirement will be officially incorporated into the manuals of all Nigerian air operators, which must be submitted to the NCAA for approval.
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The NCAA head noted that the authority remains open to reviewing the policy as technology evolves, but for now, compliance is mandatory.
“We remain alert to future reviews of this requirement as aircraft technological enhancement improves,” he said. “It remains the responsibility of the crew to communicate this requirement to the passengers and the responsibility of the passenger to comply with crew instructions.”
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