The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has outlawed the use of airplane mode on flights, instructing passengers to completely power off all mobile phones and electronic devices during take-off and landing.
This directive was announced in Abuja on Tuesday by the NCAA’s Director-General, Capt. Chris Najomo, at a meeting with industry stakeholders, where he also cautioned that non-compliance would not be tolerated.
Airlines have been directed to update their operating manuals, and fresh security drills and staff training programs will be introduced to manage unruly passengers.
Najomo emphasized, “All phones must be switched off during the critical aspects of take-off and landing. All airlines must amend their security programmes to reflect this if different in their current programmes. No more airplane mode until regulations are reviewed to reflect evolving technological situations. The era of business as usual is over.”
Michael Achimugu, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, reiterated the policy on X, stating that “Henceforth, the regulation per phones and other electronic devices in Nigeria has been unified: ALL PHONES MUST BE SWITCHED OFF DURING THE CRITICAL ASPECTS OF TAKE-OFF AND LANDING.” He added that airlines must incorporate this into their security routines.
It was gathered that the directive applies to passengers of all airlines and also notes that the NCAA has begun investigating a recent incident on a Uyo–Lagos flight involving a passenger named Comfort Emmanson and members of the Ibom Air cabin crew.
