…Urges NCAA To Certify Carriers For Ground Handling Services
As airlines in Nigeria continue to grapple with the effect of COVID -19 pandemic and other numerous challenges, the Chairman, Board of Directors West Link Airlines, Capt. Ibrahim Mshelia has appealed to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to assist the airline operators by reviewing its levies and taxes on airplanes.
This is just as he also appealed to FAAN to make landing and parking charges for domestic airlines e free to reduce cost of operations.
Mshelia, who spoke at the 25th Annual Conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) held at Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, with the theme, “Aviation Industry In Nigeria: Management, Policy & Regulation” contended that the huge cost burden on airline operations will reduce if FAAN reviews its levies and taxes on aircraft, adding that airlines be allowed to do their ground handling themselves, if duly certified to do so by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA).
According to Mshelia, “The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has its defined roles which include: provision of security and screening, offices and counters for airlines at the airports, the runways and tarmac to land and park aircraft, the conveyance of the passengers to and from tarmac etc.
“We also have to start thinking of arriving at a fair levy for these services. The huge burden of cost on operations weigh down too heavily on airlines. We should also start thinking of a very fair operational ground that will allow airlines to register to handle itself to taste.”
Meshelia, who was the Chairman of the Silver Jubilee edition wondered why airlines should be compelled to patronise the handling companies, which according to him provide services that sometimes do not measure up to the niche or standard of airlines, adding that this has caused many airlines to lose their passengers.
He added that based on this, he is of the opinion that airlines that have the capacity and meet the standard of Civil Aviation Authority(CAA) should be certified to provide busses and also carry out ground handling jobs.
In his words, “I hereby suggest that airlines that can bring buses that will measure up with the standard of the Civil Aviation Authority(CAA) should be allowed to do so, as well as provide other handling jobs that they can provide to standard.
Speaking further, he said, “If FAAN has the building which they collect charges on, collect passengers service charges and part of ticket sales, the airlines also pay taxes, I think it will foster growth, if landing and parking charges for domestic airlines are made free, as a way of cushioning the biting effects of the economy on aviation business.
“It is not strange to do this as the model exists elsewhere. We are quick and good to look at enviable standards around us or elsewhere. We have to match our thoughts with actions if we truly want to evolve the sector.”
Mshelia said Nigeria as a country has been roundly accused of shying away from the cancer eating it but instead blaming God for our inaction.
He , however said that it is commendable that the Nigerian aviation industry now thrives on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as recommended by government but that there is now a glaring error of judgement which needs urgent revisiting.
According to him, “We now know that a huge number, more than the relevant, are being funded from proceeds of surcharges and taxes from the airlines. Some say more than 70 percent of the aviation agencies’ workforce are irrelevant to the operations of the airlines. The argument is that airlines will fare better with less of the surcharges which are just to take care of recurrent and staff bills they do not need. Government should reverse or review the situation urgently.
He stated that though he is not calling for sack sack or retrenchment, it is also ipso facto justified that only the technical staff of these agencies in the Nigerian aviation sector are providing direct services for the airlines that should be factored into revenue generated from the airlines.
This, he said, should not be difficult to notice fairness in a country that prays like Nigeria, adding stakeholders are waiting to see fairness this time.
