By OKEY NDIRIBE

ABUJA—A bill which seeks to provide tougher sanctions against airlines that are engaged in frequent cancellation of flights in the country passed through second reading in the House of Representatives Wednesday.

The lawmakers demonstrated their readiness to forge ahead with the proposed law when they voted to ensure  second reading for  “A Bill  for an Act to amend the Civil Aviation Act, 2006, to prescribe penalties for delays and cancellation of flights by airlines and for other related matters.”

In his argument during the debate on the general principles of the Bill, the sponsor, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, noted that the airlines usually imposed penalties on passengers for coming late and other minor offences, whereas  they delayed passengers and cancelled flight schedules indiscriminately without facing sanctions.

He pointed out that amending the Civil Aviation Act to provide penalties for offending airlines would make them  stop taking passengers for granted.