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Indigenous airline operators in Nigeria, yesterday, accused regulatory bodies in the country of charging exorbitant fees.

Describing the charges from the aviation authorities
as “uncoordinated, indiscriminate and illegal,” the airlines, under
their umbrella association, the Airline Operators of Nigeria, argued
that without their operations, there would be no aviation industry in
Nigeria. “If we don’t take active parts in the resolving of this issue,
there will be no NCAA (Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority), FAAN
(Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria), NAMA (Nigeria Airspace
Management Agency), AIB (Accident Investigation Bureau), and others,”
said Steve Mahonwu, the President of the airline operators.

The airline operators called on the minister of
aviation and the respective agencies in the sector to avoid any
development that will drag the industry backwards, adding that a
meaningful resolution on the issue of charges in aviation should be
reached. “This paper on the many charges in this industry that we are
considering today, which is partly put together by me, should be
treated amicably in order to move this sector of our economy forward,
otherwise we will have ourselves to blame if this industry fails,” said
Mr Mahonwu.

Divergent opinion

Faulting the arguments of the airline operators,
Nnamdi Udoh, a director with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency,
said that the airlines came forward with points which support them as
operators, without considering the service providers in the sector.
“AON has come up with what favours them and not what favours other
stakeholders in the industry,” he said. “How do you expect me to buy
UPS, pay workers’ salaries, and undertake the numerous operational
costs of the agency without collecting stipulated charges from the
airlines?”

Turning to Harold Demuren, the Director General of
the civil aviation authority, Mr Udoh said: “So DG, in my opinion we
should go into the details that will give all parties a level playing
ground to address these issues for the paper presented before us is
totally in favour of AON.”

Some of the concerns raised by the carriers include
terminal navigational charges, landing and parking charges, passenger
service charges, high cost of rent from the Federal Airports Authority
of Nigeria, as well as exorbitant rate of lease.

After hours of deliberations, Mr Demuren said the experts resolved
amicably after hours of deliberations. “We had a very good meeting for
the review of the charges and this is because airlines must survive,”
he said. “We are writing our reports to government and with time we
will come out with it and this is because we are not unaware that there
is a need to reduce the operating cost of running and airline.”