The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified the long-standing debate over whether mobile phones should be placed in flight mode or completely switched off during flights, insisting that full shutdown is now mandatory.
Speaking on Arise Television’s News Night, NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu stated that the directive is not only about aviation technology but also linked to varying safety and security programmes adopted by different airlines.
According to Achimugu, “Regulator is a responsive authority in this case. There are too many arguments over which is better between switching off phones or putting them on aeroplane mode on the flight. Unfortunately, people have failed to grasp the crux of the matter. Now that the explanation has been given, some aircraft are equipped to fly in aeroplane mode, some are not.”
The NCAA’s clarification comes after Ibom Air banned a passenger, Comfort Emmanson, who was caught on video repeatedly slapping a Purser for instructing her to switch off her phone before take-off.
Achimugu emphasized that compliance with crew instructions is critical: “So if the cabin crew are saying ‘turn off your phone’, the time to have an argument about which is better is not the point of departure, and so if we continue to let this kind of argument fester, it is going to pose a risk for every passenger on board. In aviation, every tiny mistake can cause a mishap.”
okay.ng reports that NCAA’s Director General, Capt. Chris Najomo, reaffirmed this stance at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, declaring that the long-practiced use of flight mode during critical phases of flight is no longer acceptable.
Najomo said: “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.”
The NCAA has directed airlines to amend their operations manuals to reflect this directive, warning that the new measure is part of broader reforms aimed at curbing unruly passenger behavior in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
