Airline Operators promise to pay outstanding debts

L–R: Captain Muhtar Usman, Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Captain Meggison Nogie, Chairman, AON, and Captain Fola Akinkuotu, MD, AERO & former DG NCAA at the briefing.

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) on Thursday pledged to ensure that all outstanding debts are paid to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as agreed.

This assurance was given during a meeting between the management of the regulatory authority led by the Director General, Capt. Muhtar Usman and the Airline Operators  at aviation house.

Speaking on behalf of the operators, the AON Chairman, Capt. Noggie Meggison remarked that it was incontrovertible that operators are heavily indebted but promised that all unremitted funds will be fully paid.

He thanked the DG for holding a series of meetings with all operators, a move he said was long expected. Meggison therefore requested for similar fora¨ where the Authority’s vision will be properly articulated from time to time to enable us key into it.’’

He, however, called for a retreat where stakeholders will meet to brainstorm on some knotty challenges which operators and the entire industry is confronted with.

In his response, Capt.Usman enjoined the airlines to comply as agreed because the issue of Ticket and Cargo Sales Charges was sacrosanct.

According to him, this was to enable the Authority and other benefitting Agencies  effectively carry out its regulatory and Statutory  responsibilities.

The DG and the NCAA management emphasized the need for automation by operators which will offer real-time and transparent transaction.

He directed that all reconciliations must be done within the 60 days window provided and advised the operators to forward all required documentations to verify conflicting claims.

Capt. Usman admonished the operators to be alive to their responsibilities and challenges adding that operators should take advantage  of various Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASA) entered into by the Federal Government to compete with their foreign counterparts thereby generating the much needed foreign exchange.

Concluding, the DG assured the operators that there will be a broader stakeholders’ forum very soon where various grievances could be looked into and addressed and charge the operators to fully embrace the Automation for the sake of transparency and an end to discrepancy over figures forthwith.

Over 20 airlines chief executives and their representatives attended the meeting.

These include Arik Air, Medview, FirstNation, Chanchangi, Kings Airlines, Overland among others some of who also contributed richly to the issue of the day while the meeting lasted.