- Domestic airline operators under the aegis of the Airline Operators Association of Nigeria (AOAN) have urged the federal government to review downward charges paid by the airlines in order to reduce their high cost of operation.
- The association’s general secretary, Mr Mohammed Joji, told journalists in Abuja that the high operating cost was a threat to aviation industry survival and growth in Nigeria.
- According to Joji, airline operators in the country are burdened with multiple charges, which included five per cent ticket sale charge, landing and parking charge, passenger service charge and en-route navigational charge.
“For the operators to survive in the business, there is the need for the government to harmonise some of these charges in the overall interest of the sector. The charges are not good for the industry as a whole and we urge the government to find ways of addressing this issue which has become a major challenge to us,” he said.
- He noted that in addition to these charges, airlines are also subjected to paying the Value Added Tax (VAT) to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) which he said is abnormal.
“The issue of multiple charges is a major challenge facing local airline operators because the charges are so numerous and have significantly affected airlines operations,” he lamented.