Following recent unpalatable airport incidents, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has mandated that all passengers must switch off their phones during civil flights.

At a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, NCAA Director General, Chris Najomo, said all phones must be switched off during the critical aspects of flight takeoff and landing in all airports in Nigeria.

The directive by the civil aviation regulator followed a recent controversial brawl that involved a passenger, Comfort Emmanson, and an Ibom Air flight attendant.

The NCAA boss said this would further put a stop to different rules by airlines, which have caused some sort of confusion among passengers of late.

“As a takeaway and to avoid ambiguity and confusion, all mobile phones and other portable electric devices should be switched off during the critical stage of flight on all Nigerian airlines. Switch off. Nothing like flight mode any longer.

“Nigerian air operators are therefore required to amend their operators’ manuals to reflect this requirement and submit to the NCAA for approval,” he declared.

“We remain alert to future reviews of this requirement as aircraft technological enhancement improves.

“It remains the responsibility of the crew to communicate this requirement to the passengers and the responsibility of the passenger to comply with crew instructions,” he added. (Channels TV, but headline rejigged)