The director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Chris Najomo, has urged airlines to do better in how they inform passengers whenever flights are delayed or cancelled.

Najomo spoke during a television interview while responding to growing complaints about flight disruptions across the sector.

His remarks come after actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele publicly criticised Air Peace over a lengthy delay on its London–Lagos service from Gatwick Airport. She said passengers, including elderly travelers, were left stranded for hours without clear updates.

Air Peace said the delay was caused by a bird strike, describing it as an unavoidable safety issue. The airline added that affected passengers were accommodated at the Hilton Hotel London Gatwick Airport, but retrieving their luggage was slowed by airport congestion and third-party ground handling challenges.

According to Najomo, delays and cancellations are a global reality in aviation, but what matters most is how airlines communicate such situations to customers. He noted that many passengers miss critical updates because travel agents often use their own contact details when booking tickets, leaving alerts in agents’ inboxes while passengers wait at airport gates.

Najomo also addressed complaints about slow ticket refunds, saying the NCAA is working to reduce the waiting time for online refund processing from two weeks to about one week. He added that passengers who pay cash for tickets often receive refunds faster because the process is immediate.

The incident is the latest in a series of public complaints by Nigerian entertainers over airline service disruptions. Earlier in the year, actress Bolaji Ogunmola criticised United Nigeria Airlines over repeated disruptions she said led to financial losses.

Najomo said improving communication with passengers during operational challenges is key to restoring confidence in air travel.