Airline Operators Seek Government Intervention on Ticket Sales

At the 30th annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) in Lagos, Dr. Allen Onyema, Chairman and CEO of Air Peace Limited and Vice President of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), urged for government intervention concerning the ticket sales charge (TSC) imposed on airlines. He highlighted that the current system, which requires airlines to remit five percent of each flight ticket's cost to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), exacerbates financial strain on operators.

Onyema proposed replacing this percentage-based charge with a fixed flat-rate fee per ticket, suggesting it would provide more predictable payments and alleviate financial burdens. He appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for intervention, recalling the President's previous action in exempting airlines from the four percent Free on Board (FOB) levy after concerns were raised.

Onyema noted that this intervention led to the creation of 1,000 jobs for Nigerians, emphasizing the need for similar action regarding the TSC to support the viability of indigenous airlines.