NCAA bans airplane mode, orders phones off during take-off, landing

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The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has said that all mobile phones must be completely switched off during flight take-off and landing.

The Director General of Authority, Capt. Chris Najomo, stated this during a stakeholders’ meeting themed “National Civil Aviation Security Committee Meeting” in Abuja on Tuesday.

He declared that all passengers must now completely switch off electronic devices during flights, ending the long-standing “flight mode” practice.

He said the regulation concerning phones and other electronic devices in Nigeria has now been unified, stressing that the widely accepted “flight mode” option will no longer be permitted.

He 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.”

Rejecting the use of flight mode, he stressed, “There’s nothing like anything like flight mode any longer. Must be switched off. Nigerian air operators are therefore required to amend their operations manual to reflect this requirement and submit to the NCA for approval, if different from this resolution.”

He announced a series of tough measures to address the growing trend of unruly passenger behaviour across the country’s airports, warning that the era of “business as usual” is over. Punch