Aerodrome charges: Airline operators, NAMA on collision course

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Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) may be heading on collision course over the newly introduced payment mode on Aerodrome charges which NAMA insists must be on "cash and carry basis" before they could fly from any Nigerian airport. 

This payment mode, according to NAMA, followed the inability of the airlines to service their over N2 billion debt over the years.  Mohammed Tukur, secretary-general of AON, however, told newsmen at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, that NAMA charges had been "unreasonable", adding that multiple charges were killing airlines' businesses. 

NAMA had written debtor airlines citing the Act of Parliament mandating it to charge for services it provides, stating that all operators from April 9, 2010 will be dealt with on "cash and carry basis" since the airline operators have refused to show understanding.  The agency insists that the airlines will have to obtain a payment clearance from the commercial department at any airport of departure before operation and that all payments must be made at the airport of departure. "Effective April 2, operations on both domestic and international will be on cash and carry basis, you will have to obtain a payment clearance from the commercial department at any airport of departure before operations. 

"The International Civil Aviation Organisation provides that any air navigational services provider must recoup any cost incurred from the beneficiaries; we are asking for just a token that is less than N16, 000 for terminal navigational charges. 

"All the domestic airlines are owing about N2 billion, for instance, Arik is owing $1.5 million from international operations charges; we are a self-funded agency and we cannot continue to provide services without realising anything. We have to carry out calibration on navigational equipment for N60 million every six month", Supo Atobatele, general manager, public affairs, NAMA, said.  He cited instances of ASECNA Eurocontrol, the navigational services provider in Francophone countries and Europe, respectively, who will not allow any aircraft to take-off without paying necessary charges. 

But the AON scribe said that the issues of domestic navigational charges have been a matter in court since 2005 and that any plan to exhume the matter is prejudicial, adding however that it is only the NCAA that can take such decisions to ground airlines. 

He also said that the Nigeria Civil Regulation Act which came into force in November 2006 removed the regulating powers of NAMA to regulate charges, saying that have been superseded by the NCAA Act.   

Tukur further said that it was an absolute blackmail for NAMA to use the system to deny airlines clearance for a law which NAMA has no power to enact, stating that "it was draconian and unwarranted business approach.   

"We suggest you audit yourself, reduce your excess overhead and use the available resources such as 5 percent ticket sales tax, international navigational charges, World Bank grant and others to fund at least your e-recurrent expenditure including equipment maintenance provision."

Aerodrome charges: Airline operators, NAMA on collision course

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