NCAA cautions against unaccompanied travel for sick, aged

• Sick, elderly woman travelling alone urinated on herself mid-flight – NCAA spokesman

Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu has appealed to Nigerians to discourage their sick and elderly parents from embarking on air travel alone.

Achimugu made the appeal in an X post on Wednesday.

He recounted instances of medical emergencies and embarrassing situations suffered mid-flight by sick and elderly persons flying solitary.

“This sick, elderly woman travelling alone urinated on herself mid-flight and was too tired, afraid, and unsure of what to do. She just sat there until the passenger next to her began to complain about the smell of the pee and called the attention of cabin crew.

“Another sick, elderly passenger, another flight, flying solitary, almost passed on due to turbulence. He was a first time flyer, and his grown up kids let him fly alone despite knowing about his underlying conditions,” Achimugu said.

Insisting that aircraft were not hospitals, the NCAA spokesman noted that cabin crew were only trained to provide a minimum amount of care to suddenly ill passengers.

He stated, “I have said this before, and I will say it again: do not let your sick elderly travel alone. Airlines and aircraft are not hospitals. There is a minimum amount of care that cabin crew are trained to provide to suddenly ill passengers, but nothing more. Sometimes you may be lucky if there are medical personnel on board amongst the passengers, sometimes, not so much.

“And, if your pregnancy is already at full term, do not take the risk of travelling. Your safety, and that of your baby, are priority. Can’t stress this enough.”