The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a fresh directive mandating all passengers to completely switch off their mobile phones during flights, particularly during critical phases such as takeoff and landing.
Announcing the measure at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, NCAA Director General, Chris Najomo, said the rule was introduced to curb confusion among passengers and ensure uniform compliance across all airlines.
“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. Switch off. Nothing like flight mode any longer,” Najomo declared.
The move comes in the wake of recent controversies, including a heated altercation between a passenger, Comfort Emmanson, and an Ibom Air flight attendant, which sparked debates on airline phone-use policies.
Najomo further directed all Nigerian air operators to immediately amend their operating manuals to reflect the new requirement and submit them to the NCAA for approval.
“We remain alert to future reviews of this requirement as aircraft technological enhancement improves. 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,” he added.
