Court Upholds FCCPC's Authority on Airline Pricing Investigations

The Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission's (FCCPC) authority to investigate complaints regarding airline ticket pricing. This ruling, delivered by Justice B.F.M.

Nyako on June 29, 2023, dismissed a suit filed by Air Peace that challenged the FCCPC's power to investigate allegations of price exploitation in airline fares. The court clarified that the FCCPC's investigative powers are distinct from price regulation under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) of 2018.

Air Peace had argued that the FCCPC lacked legal authority to inquire into airfare pricing unless the President invoked specific price regulation provisions. However, the court ruled that the FCCPC's request for information was a legitimate part of its fact-finding process in response to consumer complaints about significant fare increases during the 2024 Christmas travel season.

The judgment emphasized that the FCCPC neither sought to fix prices nor regulate fares but was exercising its statutory responsibility to protect consumers.