The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has mandated that all mobile phones be switched off during flight take-off and landing.
The development was announced on Tuesday by the Director General of Authority, Capt. Chris Najomo, while addressing stakeholders in a meeting themed “National Civil Aviation Security Committee Meeting” in Abuja.
Najomo stated that all passengers must now completely switch off electronic devices during flights, ending the long-standing “flight mode” practice.
According to him, the regulation concerning phones and other electronic devices in Nigeria has now been unified, stressing that the widely accepted “flight mode” option will no longer be permitted.
“All mobile phones, I repeat, all mobile phones and other portable electronic devices should be switched off during at least the critical phase of flight on all Nigerian airlines. Switched off.
“There’s nothing like anything like flight mode any longer. Must be switched off. Nigerian air operators are therefore required to amend their operations manual to reflect this requirement and submit to the NCA for approval, if different from this resolution,” he said
Najomo added that tough measures to address the growing trend of unruly passenger behaviour across the country’s airports had been put in place, warning that the era of “business as usual” is over.
“And, you know, I had to call this stakeholders meeting because going further, we know what the responsibilities of the airlines are, what the responsibilities of passengers are, and where the CA, the FAAN, AVSEC stands. I can assure you where we have decided. I’ve told the Director of Consumer Protection we’re going to do a lot of radio jingles, TV series.
“We’re going to go on air. We’ll make sure that we take all these preambles of informing passengers, going further of their responsibilities, and going further, things will not be as usual as what it is. If you’re unruly, you’re unruly.
“So, you see, we have a new beginning from where we are. It will not be as business as usual. I can assure you that. It will not. And I want to also tell the airline operators here, we are going to start checking that you would do the adequate training.”
