''Aero Turned Us Into Prisoners''- Passengers Cry As Flight Is Abandoned For Hours

 As the problems in Nigeria aviation continues, passengers aboard an Aero Contractor Boeing 737 plane scheduled for a trip to from Abuja - Lagos were left stranded inside the aircraft for several hours, with airline officials nowhere in sight to offer any explanation whatsoever, we learnt from a source who was one of the abandoned passengers.

He said;

“It was as if the Aero Contractors turned us into prisoners of war,” said the passenger, adding that many passengers were terrified as the plane sat on the tarmac of Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja for several hours, with passengers locked up inside.

Our source disclosed that Flight AJ132 from Abuja to Lagos was supposed to take off at 8 p.m., but was delayed until midnight. Then, once passengers boarded, they were left inside the aircraft until 3 a.m. on Saturday. He added that the pilots and the crew left the aircraft with the passengers without giving any explanation. A source at the airline said it was a case of “Aircraft On Ground”, a term used to depict seriousness of engine trouble that causes an aircraft to be grounded.

“I think this kind of thing can only happen in Nigeria where customers are treated by an airline as if they were just rats trapped inside a plane, and the pilots and crew members disappear just like that.”

 As at the time of this report, the management of Aero Contractors were not at hand to obtain an official response to the incident.

 Many passengers booked on other Aero’s flights suffered similar delays at airports around the country. 

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11-Year-Old Flies to Rome With No Ticket or Family

Authorities are investigating how a solo 11-year-old boy boarded a plane from Manchester, U.K., and arrived in Rome, Italy, with no money or documentation. The Jet2.com flight departed the Manchester airport Tuesday with the boy onboard.

 He went through five security checkpoints undetected, an airport spokeswoman confirmed to ABC News. Despite having no boarding pass at security, no boarding pass at the gate, no passport and no boarding pass stub once on the plane, airport workers failed to notice the boy was on his own. Even a headcount onboard the flight failed to detect the child.

 Jet2.com is a low-cost U.K. airline that flies to 53 destinations in Eastern and Western Europe. Staffers have been suspended, pending an investigation. The Guardian newspaper reports the boy ran away from his mother on Tuesday while she was shopping close to the airport. He apparently made his way to the airport on foot. 

Once there, he followed another family through the checkpoints and onto the plane. On the way to Italy, passengers alerted airline crew to the boy. The captain then notified police at Manchester airport, who alerted the boy's mother that he had been found. The boy's mother had reported him missing. The boy stayed onboard the aircraft once it landed in Rome, according to the newspaper. The other passengers deplaned while the boy was questioned.

 He remained on the flight, which returned to Manchester, where he was reunited with his mother. John Greenway, a spokesman for Manchester airport, told the newspaper: "We know that people are not very happy about it. The investigation will look at how this has happened. Jet2 will be looking at how this boy got on that aircraft. "He's evaded checks.

 He did go through the metal detector and didn't sound any alarms. He wasn't a danger to any of the passengers." The breech shines a light on potential cracks in security as the 2012 Olympics in London kicks off later this week. Earlier this month, Britain's The Observer published a report quoting border officials as saying known terror suspects had slipped through airport security at London's Heathrow international airport.

 Government officials told ABC News that report was not accurate, but said an independent auditor had claimed there are many new, hastily trained guards at the airport who sometimes do not question travelers as diligently as they should.

 On Tuesday, British officials called up an additional 1,200 soldiers today to try and fix what they called a security "fiasco" with G4S, the private security firm tasked to secure the 2012 Olympic Games, but British security officials tell ABC News even though they are finally getting the number of guards they need, they are still not confident in the training that G4S guards received or the security they can provide.

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Commercial aircraft rams into airforce plane

A commercial aircraft, en route Lagos from Jos, rammed its wings into an airforce C-130 aircraft on the tarmac of Jos airport as it was about to take off, yesterday.The C-130 aircraft was in Jos to airlift students of the Airforce Military School and Airforce Girls Military School both in the Plateau State capital when the accident occurred.

As a result of the accident, a substantial part of the mainframe of the commercial aircraft, a Boeing 737-700 with registration No. 5NMJI, was taken off on impact while its dismembered body remained hanging on the C-130 aircraft.

A joint investigation into the immediate and remote cause of the accident, which recorded no casualty, involving NAF, the airline and the relevant Nigerian aviation bodies has commenced.

A statement released by the Nigerian Airforce on the incident by Wing Commander A. Makun, Deputy Director, Directorate of Airforce information said: “ An Arik Airline Boeing 737-700 with registration No 5NMJI on a routine flight to Lagos brushed the wing of a parked Nigerian Air Force C-130 (NAF 917) at the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Heipang Jos”.

“The incident happened at about 1345hrs today when the Arik aircraft was taxiing at the airport tarmac in preparation for take-off. The tank 1 wing tip of the NAF C-130 was damaged while the wing of the Arik aircraft was dismembered and hung on the NAF aircraft”.

“There was no casualty recorded during the incident, however, the 2 aircraft had to abort their missions. The NAF C-130 was in Jos to airlift students of the Air Force Military School and Air Force Girls Military School . Meanwhile, a joint investigation by the Nigerian Air Force and Arik Airline management has commenced”.

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Passengers spent N225bn on air tickets in 2011 – FG

Stella Oduah,

Passengers who used Nigerian airports spent a total of $1.5bn (about N225bn) on the purchase of tickets in 2011, the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, has said.

Oduah, who said this in a keynote address she delivered at an interactive forum with aviation stakeholders in Abuja on Monday, also disclosed that 90 per cent of the total revenue from the airports came from the Lagos and Abuja airports.

The minister said 14.6 million passengers used the airports scattered across the country within the year, while 122,700 tonnes of cargo were moved by air within the one-year period.

According to the minister, the nation’s airports handled 50 chartered flights and 300 scheduled flights per day during the period under review.

The aviation sector, she said, employed a total of 60,000 workers in 2011, including 1,835 cabin crew members, 934 pilots, 325 air traffic controllers, 865 aircraft maintenance engineers and 250 metrology personnel.

She said, “Aviation is pivotal to the growth of key economic sectors, including travel and tourism, agriculture production and distribution, rural development, trade and commerce, manufacturing and other non-oil sectors, which are critical to economic transformation of any nation.

“The value chain of creation by aviation is enormous. In order to reposition the Nigerian aviation sector for this role, we consulted widely with industry stakeholders and relevant ministries, departments and agencies to develop a common mission and vision.”

“We have also developed a master plan as well as the implementation framework in confronting the sector’s numerous challenges with a view to providing a safe, profitable and self-sustaining world class industry with a distinct airport experience for flyers.”

The minister lamented that although African countries were making as much as N300bn from the export of agro-allied products and cargo facilities per annum, Nigeria did not have a share of the market.

According to Oduah, Kenya earns $737.6m; Ethiopia, $207.2m; and Egypt, $137.5m annually from the cargo business.

She added that with adequate infrastructure and development of the market, Nigeria could make as much as N120bn or 40 per cent of the market’s revenue in Africa.

Oduah said it was imperative for Nigeria to tap into perishable cargo exports to other nations, adding that the Federal Government would designate some airports in the country for the business.

According to her, the development of the market will reduce rural-urban migration, provide employment for the youth, encourage rural development, encourage direct foreign investment as well as reduce crime rate in the country.

She identified airport cities to be an important element of a new aviation road map that had been developed.

The airport cities will include terminals, hotels, conference centres, shopping facilities, residential accommodations, hospitals, schools, hangers, office complexes and banking facilities, according to the minister.

On airfares, the minister said the Federal Government was committed to protecting the rights of consumers and enforcing compliance with the provisions of the Civil Aviation Act 2006.

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Lagos Airport gets anti-bomb facility

To beat the deadline set by the European Civil Aviation Commission (ECAC) to migrate from single view cargo screening machines to the dual view machines at airports. In a bid to heighten the fight against trans-border terrorism globally, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nacho aviance) has installed a new dual-view screening system consisting of screening machine and anti-bomb equipment at the Export Cargo section of its warehouse at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

 The equipment is worth N68 million. Experts say the implication of not having the system at the country's airports would be a huge loss for airlines, adding that airlines may be barred from taking passenger baggage or cargo from areas where the equipment are not available.

Harold Demuren, Director-General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who commissioned the equipment, said it was a giant leap in the fight against trans-border terrorism. “With equipment like this, we are safer, the traveling public and businesses can have some peace of mind,” he said at the event which was also attended by officers of Airport security agencies.

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Reps threaten British Airways over high fares

The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation on Monday threatened to sanction British Airways if it failed to reduce its air fares for Nigerian passengers.

Nkiruka Onyejeocha (PDP-Abia), the chairman of the committee, gave the warning at an investigative hearing on the arbitrary hike in air fares by international airlines operating in the country.

It would be recalled that on February 22, the House at plenary session mandated the Committee on Aviation to investigate high fares charged by international airlines.

Onyejeocha noted that in spite of the free market economy of the country, airfares in Nigeria were the highest within the West African sub-region.

“This arbitrary airfare charges are exploitative, particularly as the country’s aviation fuel is one of the cheapest in the market,” she said.

According to her, Nigerians pay higher to travel to places like Europe and America, while other African countries attract cheaper fares at same distances.

“This exploitation must not be allowed to continue, more importantly as Nigeria is one of the most lucrative routes in the world with minimum daily passengers of 1,000,’’she said.

“The bottom line is that you must reduce your fares or you quit,” she said.

“This unethical behaviour of airlines cannot continue unchecked, we need the fare to be reviewed,” she said.

She appealed to all airline operators to cooperate with the committee to ensure a downward review of fares charged.

The legislator assured the operators of the committee’s readiness to collaborate with them and other stakeholders to address the challenges facing the operators.

Onyejeocha blamed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for not doing enough to check activities of the airlines.

Kola Adeyinka, Country General Manager of the British Airways, told the committee that the European Anti-Trust legislation prohibited him from discussing price structure in the presence of other airline operators.

He said that fixing air fares was influenced by demand and supply and competitive environment.

Adeyinka said that the United Kingdom Department of Transport and its Nigerian counterpart were discussing on the matter and would come out with resolution in June.

He noted that air fare pricing in Nigeria was different from what was obtainable in Ghana.

Adeyinka said that the airline was ready to work with the committee to satisfy its customers.

“We are willing to work with the House, we will not do anything to jeopardise the interest of our customers,” he said.

He assured the committee that the fare would be reviewed and a brief would be sent to the House.

Harold Demuren, Director-General of NCAA, said that British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways had been under similar investigations in other countries over imbalance in airfare.

He said that after a thorough investigation in November 14, 2011 by NCAA, it was discovered that both airlines colluded to fix the passenger fuel surcharge which affected Nigerian customers.

Demuren said that the disparities between airfares from Nigeria and similar distances, particularly, Ghana remained unanswered.

He said that the NCAA would work assiduously to prevent the exploitation of Nigerians by imposing stiff penalties.

Aminu Agoa, National President of National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies in his presentation said that the air fare price structure displayed on Internet was not saleable to Nigerians.

Agoa said that members of the association only made marginal interest as airline operators did not pay commission.

He blamed the British Airways, which, he noted, started the differential in airfare while other airlines followed.

Other stakeholders at the hearing include Lufthansa Airline, Air France, Qatar Air, KLM, South African Airways, among others.

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How foreign airlines exploit Nigerians

Indications emerged, weekend, that the argument often put forward by foreign airlines that high airport and navigational charges in the country were responsible for the astronomical fares they charge Nigerians may not be tenable after all, as Vanguard gathered that the charges are even higher in Ghana, where the price of air tickets are far lower.

The Federal Government had been in a running battle for foreign airlines operating into the country to dismantle their fare disparity to make fares paid in Nigeria equivalent to those paid in other countries on the West Coast. Vanguard gathered that while the landing charge imposed by international airports in Nigeria per landing is $0.00909 per kilogramme, it is $7 in Ghana. It was also learnt that while no charge is imposed for lighting at international airports in Nigeria, the charge for a similar service in Ghana is $187.5. 

Also, parking charge in Nigeria is $0.00114kg per hour, while in Ghana, it is $0.15, even as the passenger service charge, PSCs, is $50 in Nigeria against Ghana’s $100. The charges are collected by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN. However, a peep into the table of navigational charges collected by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, indicated that they were higher in Nigeria than Ghana. While overflying charges in Nigeria is $75 per kilometre flown, it is $200 (minimum) per kilometre flown in Ghana and $600 maximum. 

 At Nigerian airports, terminal charges come to a unit rate of $199, while no such charge is imposed in Ghana. Vanguard learnt that there is only a marginal difference between the price of aviation fuel or JET-A1, a key component in commercial airline operations, between both countries. While the product sells for naira equivalence of between N180 and N182 per litre in Ghana, it is sold for between N190 and N200 in Nigeria, depending on which part of the country it is sourced. It is costlier sourcing it in the North. Similarly, en route charge in Nigeria is at the rate of $70 against Ghana’s none.

Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, had penultimate week issued foreign airlines operating in the country a 30-day ultimatum within which to dismantle disparity between fares charged in Nigeria and countries on the West Coast or face ban.

 Source:Vanguardngr

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President Goodluck Jonathan endorses action to Ban British Airways and Virgin Atlantic

President Goodluck Jonathan has endorsed plan by the Ministry of Aviation to compel the British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and other international airlines operating in the country to correct the disparity in the fare charged Nigerians against that charged other West African passengers.

A top source in the ministry told Vanguard that before the announcement of the 30-day ultimatum issued the two British carriers and other international airlines by the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, President Jonathan and some key members of the National Assembly were fully briefed on the development.

It was learnt that the decision to issue the ultimatum had been delayed this far on the advice of the President that the affected carriers be given time to respond and adjust the fares accordingly.

The source said the Federal Government had not been communicated by the British Government on the reported plan to retaliate any action that would be taken by Nigerian government against the carriers should the latter go ahead with sanctioning the carriers at the expiration of the ultimatum.

He said: “We are not aware of the plan by the British Government to carry out any retaliation. We are not at war with Britain. We are fully engaged in diplomacy where some parameters of justice and equity are being demanded.

“What we are saying is that Nigerians should not be exploited by these carriers. As government, we have done our own studies on the fare regime being charged and we found out that it is clearly unfair, it is unacceptable and unjustifiable for Nigerians to be charged higher than those from other West African countries.

“This process has been on the table since last year and these two airlines have been given ample time and opportunities to respond and they chose not to do that and we cannot continue to look at the situation. We must deal with this situation once and for all.”

Air of arrogance

The source said so far, the two airlines had carried on with some air of arrogance each time the Nigerian government tried to get them to discuss the issue, adding: “There are some arrogance about it. Each time you talk to them, they say Nigerians are ready to pay these fare disparity and that why should we be complaining as government?

“But the question is that: why would they have that huge disparity between the fares charged in the economy class which is about the same as those charged other West African passengers and the fares charged in the business and first class?

“It is the same plane that carries both the economy and these other classes. If you charge the same for Nigerians travelling in economy class as those of his or her counterparts in other West African countries, why charging a huge disparity for the business and first class different from those charged other West Africans in the same class as well?

“I must tell you that they have no option than to come to the table. The repercussions are so clear and the government is quite ready. We are not just talking as Aviation ministry, we are talking the minds of government and Nigerian people. It would be of greater economic benefit for Britain to have more cordial economic atmosphere and relationship with Nigeria. So, the doors are open for British Airways, Virgin and the British government to come to the table on this matter.”

The source disclosed that a committee had been set up to carry out all necessary negotiations on this matter and that so far, there were indications that they were ready to come to the table.

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THREAT TO BAN VIRGIN, BA: Britain warns Nigeria

The British government yesterday warned that it would take retaliatory steps against Nigerian airlines, if the federal government bans carriers over fare disparity.

This came as British Airways said in a statement last night that all its fares were competitive and on a sound commercial basis.

Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Odua, had weekend threatened to ban any foreign airline which failed to adjust its fares to reflect equity with their prevailing fares on the West Coast. She gave the airlines one month ultimatum.

Reacting to the ultimatum last night, Britain said banning private airlines would amount to a “heavy-handed action that would be catastrophic.”

Consequently, Britain said it would not hesitate to retaliate if the federal government goes ahead with the threat to ban after 30 days.

Britain said only business and first class fares were more expensive to Nigerians than neighbouring countries because of high demand for those seats.

It also said banning BA and Virgin would break a bilateral air services agreement. between both countries.

“It (the ban) would cause potential foreign investors to question whether they want to put their money in Nigeria and have a long-term and damaging effect on Nigeria’s growth,” a British High Commission spokesman said.

“The Prime Minister and President Goodluck Jonathan signed a joint communique last year pledging to double bilateral trade. Action against BA and Virgin would damage that strategic aim,”a British High Commission spokesman.

The fare dispute is running parallel to another row between Nigeria and Britain over airport landing slots.

Nigeria’s biggest carrier Arik Air actually stopped its daily flights between Abuja and London Heathrow yesterday because it was being prevented from getting arrival and departure slots at UK airports.

“It is wrong to suggest that Arik has been prevented from flying into Heathrow. Our understanding is that Arik is just unwilling to pay for the cost of renting or buying landing slots,” the British spokesman said.

He added that it was something all airlines who want new slots into Heathrow needed to do.

The Aviation Minister had argued that it was unfair for BA and Virgin to charge more to fly Nigerian than passengers from neighbouring West African countries.

“We are seriously concerned and worried by the reluctance to restore parity within the region by the foreign airlines,” Aviation Minister Stella Oduah said in a statement.

“They have been using all kinds of delay tactics, this is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated. We will resolve this issue once and for all,” she had said in a statement Monday night.

Also reacting to the threat, British Airways said in a statement that its fares were competitive and were based on a sound commercial plank.

We ‘ve been flying to Nigeria for 75 yrs — BA

The airline said: “British Airways is fully legally compliant with the requirements of the Air Services Agreement between the UK and Nigeria. We remain committed to Nigeria and continue to serve the country with daily flights to Lagos and Abuja.

“We have been flying there for more than 75 years and pride ourselves on offering competitive fares, a choice of products and connections to our Nigerian customers.

“All of our fares are set on a sound commercial basis and remain fully competitive with other carriers in the region including Arik Air.”

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the aviation industry have commended the aviation minister for issuing foreign airlines a 30-day ultimatum, stressing it was long overdue.

Aviation Consultant, Mr Chris Aligbe, noted that the minister, as the number one stakeholder in the aviation industry, was now speaking the minds of Nigeria-based passengers who were usually extorted whenever they flew in foreign airlines.

“With the ultimatum given by the minister, the Federal Government is taking the issue of disparity in fares paid by passengers from Nigeria seriously.

“The Federal Government is now showing concern about the plight of Nigerians and others who opt to fly with foreign airlines,” Aligbe said.

He alleged that his findings had revealed that all the European airlines flying into and out of Nigeria were involved in the international flight fare disparity.

Aligbe advised that Nigerians should exercise patience until the expiration of the minister’s ultimatum.

Mr Kelvin Umoh, a UK-bound passenger, lamented the high air fares usually charged by foreign airlines, describing them as cut-throat. “One continues to wonder why the foreign airlines charge higher fares from Nigeria, compared to what they charge in Ghana,” he said.

“What is the distance between Nigeria and Ghana, that foreign airlines are charging between $1,000 and $2, 000 from Nigerian passengers, above what they charge in Ghana,” he queried.

Mrs Patience Olayiwola, another passenger, said the ultimatum was a welcome development, aimed at stopping the fleecing of Nigerians of their hard earned money.

“Most passengers planning to fly international routes now prefer doing that from Ghana, instead of Nigeria, thus causing capital flight and reducing revenues derivable to the Federal Government from such flights,” she said.

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BA, Virgin, others in fresh trouble with FG

The Federal Government yesterday gave all foreign airlines operating in the country a 30-day ultimatum within which to dismantle the fare regime that sees Nigerian passengers paying higher fares than other passengers in West Africa.

Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, who issued the ultimatum in Abuja last night, said the 30-day ultimatum would start today.

This came on a day the Ministry of Aviation also sought the cooperation of the National Assembly towards the enactment of a Passengers’ Bill of Rights.

It could be recalled that in the wake of the impasse between British Airways and Arik Air regarding the denial of landing slots of the latter at London Heathrow airport, the ministry had, in addition facilitating the landing rights of Arik Air in Heathrow, waded into the huge fare disparity in the sub-region and demanded fare parity from British Airways, BA, Virgin Atlantic Airways, VA, and other international airlines operating in the country.

BA and VA had particularly asked for more time to conduct its own study on the alleged fare disparity, promising to report back to the Ministry last December.

But worried by the obvious delay tactics on the part of the two British carriers, Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, weekend said any international airline operating in Nigeria which failed to dismantle the fare imbalance and other sharp practices within the next 30 days would be banned from operating in Nigeria.

She said: “We are seriously concerned and worried by the reluctance to restore parity within the region by the foreign airlines.

They have been using all kinds of delay tactics; this is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated. Nigerian passengers do not deserve this kind of exploitation and we are willing and ready to stand up to their rights.”

Oduah said Nigeria remained an important and lucrative route for the international airlines, warning that anyone not ready to treat Nigerians with equity and dignity would be barred from operating in the country.

”In the interim, we encourage Nigerian travellers to avail themselves of other competitive alternatives while we try try to address and resolve this issue once and for all,” she said.

A source had told Vanguard that government’s action was informed by the delayed tactics deployed by the British government on the need to resolve the issue of unequal fare regime of British carriers in their Nigerian operations, compared to what holds in other countries on the West Coast.

Government had always banked on the fact that once the two British carriers were made to toe the line, other international airlines would follow their footstep on the issue, especially considering the historical links between Nigeria and Britain.

Vanguard gathered at the weekend that the latest withdrawal of slots from Arik Air on its Abuja-London Heathrow operations, which led to the airline’s suspension of flight on the route yesterday, further infuriated the government.

The British government had in the last quarter of 2011 asked the federal government to give it till December 31, 2011, to conduct a study on the fare regime of both British carriers on Lagos-London and Abuja-London routes, in relation to that of other countries in the sub-region, but failed to meet up with that deadline and called for an extension of time which, according to sources, was to enable it buy time while the two carriers continued operations unhindered.

The British government had begged for a negotiation in the heat of the row caused by the shabby treatment of Arik Air at Heathrow, when government threatened to shut down British Airways operations on Lagos-London route.

A source told Vanguard weekend that government was no longer disposed to the delayed tactics being employed by the British government, especially in the light of the resurgence of Arik Air’s problem at Heathrow earlier in the month.

Announcing a re-suspension of its Abuja-London flight penultimate week, Arik Air had said: “From the inception of the route in November 2009, Arik Air has been in a slot-lease agreement with a UK carrier, leasing arrival/ departure slots on the Abuja/ London route at Heathrow.

“At the end of the summer schedule (October 2011), the UK carrier that Arik Air was in the slot-lease agreement with for this route advised the airline of its intention to sell the company and began to wind down its contractual arrangements with Arik Air. Without these commercially arranged slots, Arik Air was forced to suspend operations at the start of the winter schedule (2011).

“Immediate discussions were held by the respective governments to resolve the long-existing and underlying anomaly in the BASA. As an abridgement, the UK authorities facilitated the temporary continuation of the commercial lease of these slots in support of Arik Air’s Abuja/ London, Heathrow operation.

“This interim solution was only available up until 25th March (2012). Unfortunately,despite the best efforts of both governments, there has been no solution found. The situation remains as it was at the end of October 2011 with Arik Air having no landing/arrival slots after March 2012 thus forcing it to suspend the route.

Although Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, could not be reached weekend to know what action government was taking in the next two weeks, sources at the Ministry said the operations of both British carriers might be shut in Lagos in the interim, in view of Arik Air’s problems at Heathrow, and shut completely should the British government fail to respond to Nigeria’s quest for a dismantling of the current fare regime which is unfavourable to Nigerians.

The Aviation Minister’s aide, Mr. Joe Obi, had told Vanguard three weeks ago that though the British negotiating team on British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways fare structures appealed for extension of time, on the expiration of the December 31, 2011, deadline, which was acceded to, the Nigerian government would not wait indefinitely because of the urge with which Nigerians want the issue settled.

He also said the matter bothered on public interest which government was in a hurry to resolve in the

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Aviation is putting finishes touches on a proposed Passengers’ Bill of Rights which it hopes to present before the two chambers of the National Assembly soon.

The ministry, which is very optimistic that the National Assembly will lend its usual cooperation towards the swift passage of the bill, believes air passengers will have a fairer deal once the bill is passed into law.

One of the salient provisions in the proposed bill stipulates that a passenger has a right ???o compensation if his or her flight is delayed for more than one hour, out-rightly cancelled or where a passenger is denied boarding without any reasonable cause.

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Air traffic controllers okay cancellation of N2,500 passenger service charge

Air Traffic Controllers, ATCs, in the nation’s aviation sector, have expressed support for Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah’s cancellation of the N2,500 Passenger Service Charge, PSC, effected by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, operators of MMA2, describing it as an added burden on travellers.

The company had increased the charge from N1,000 to N2,500 per passenger, citing Aviation Ministry’s approval, which was later debunked by the minister.

President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, NATCA, Ibrahim Haske, who spoke on behalf of his members, said the increase would have imposed more burden on air passengers currently conteding with high fares.

Haske said the minister only did what was patriotic and in the interest of the public in rejecting the increase, saying Bi-Coutney’s move defied all economic logic.

He said: “We are shocked that at a time air travelers were facing harsh economic burden, following hike in ticket fares, any well-meaning Nigerian would take extra pleasure in adding to this burden by defending the obnoxious charge at MMA2.

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