The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation has taken exception to some domestic carriers deliberately withholding funds collected on behalf of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
They were particularly disturbed that one of the airlines was yet to remit N13 billion it collected on behalf the agency.
The lawmakers’ anger followed an appeal made by the managing director of FAAN, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu at an interactive session with the committee at the national.
The committee chaired by Mr. Nnolim Nnaji had summoned Yadudu to explain the rationale behind the 100 percent increase in passenger service charge which it announced in preparations for phased resumption of domestic flights across airports in the country
The service charges were raised from N1000 on local flights to N2000 and from $50 to $100 on international routes.
The committee though convinced that the increase in PSC was inevitable based on the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic on the industry unanimously resolved to summon the airlines to defend the allegation.
Besides, it asked FAAN provide it with the details of the debt profile of the affected airlines by Tuesday, July 7, 2020.
Nnaji who described the attitude of some indigenous airlines as regrettable assured FAAN that the lawmakers would look into the matter with a view to resolving it so that the agency could carry out its statutory duties of providing unhindered world class services to air travellers.
He said it is a breach of trust that some airlines would collect charges on behalf of the agency and fail to remit the money appropriately.
