FG denies increasing aviation charges

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday denied an increase in charges payable by stakeholders in the sector.

FAAN specifically debunked the rumour that it had increased the landing and parking charges payable by foreign and domestic airlines.

The Director General of NCAA, Capt Musa Nuhu, and Managing Director of FAAN, Capt Rabiu Yadudu, spoke at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on the sidelines of the tour of the terminal by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Daily Trust reports that there has been disquiet in the aviation sector over alleged increase in charges by service providers in the industry.

Capt Nuhu described the reports as “completely and outright false”, saying NCAA could not increase charges without the stakeholders’ input.

He said, “As the DG of NCAA, I am not aware and I have not authorised any charge increase. Misinformation is creating a lot of problems. The truth of the matter is that the last time NCAA increased its charges was 10 years ago.

“If we were charging N5,000 about 10 years ago and we are still charging that, then you calculate the inflationary pressures. We are not recovering our costs. We are providing services and subsidising them.

“We understand the difficulties facing the industry now, but going forward, we have to sit down and review it because NCAA does not get any money from the federal government. All our revenues are internally generated, and we need this to provide the appropriate services for the safety, security and efficient service delivery to the public.”

On his part, the FAAN MD said the last time the authority increased landing and parking charges was in 2002 for foreign airlines and in 2012 for domestic airlines.

He said, “The media report that FAAN increased landing and parking across Nigeria is wrong and misleading. FAAN has not increased landing and parking fees since 2002 for international operators.

“Domestic landing and parking fees were last reviewed by FAAN in 2012 when tickets were being sold for N6,000, and now they are being sold for much more. There are more than enough reasons for FAAN to increase the fees, but we have not.”