FG bans airplane mode, directs passengers to switch off phones during take-off

FG bans airplane mode, directs passengers to switch off phones during take-off

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed that all mobile phones must be completely switched off during airplane take-off and landing.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s director of public affairs and consumer protection, said the regulation on phones and other electronic devices in Nigeria has now been unified.

The decision followed an emergency meeting with aviation stakeholders on Tuesday.

“All phones must be switched off during the critical aspects of take-off and landing,” Achimugu said. “All airlines must amend their security programmes to reflect this if different in their current programmes.”

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He added that the use of airplane mode is no longer permitted until the regulations are reviewed to reflect evolving technological situations.

The directive comes after a recent air rage incident involving Comfort Emmanson, a passenger accused of unruly behaviour on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos.

On August 10, videos widely circulated on X captured Emmanson physically assaulting a flight attendant and confronting airport security officials.

According to Ibom Air, the altercation began shortly before take-off when the passenger allegedly refused to comply with safety procedures requiring all mobile phones to be switched off.

Emmanson, who was arraigned and remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Facility, was later released after the intervention of Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s minister of aviation and aerospace development.

FG bans airplane mode, directs passengers to switch off phones during take-off