In an interesting twist of events, airline operators in Nigeria are threatening to move their operations to Ghana over the imposition of new tariffs by the country’s aviation regulatory body the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The airline operators want to locate to Ghana in a bid to stay in business.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has imposed a new fee of $4, 000 on foreign registered and $300, 000 on Nigerian carriers per trip.
The move has angered airline operators in the country who say the latest development is not in tandem with global practice.
Weeks after some local airline operators in Ghana threatened to pull out of the country over unfavorable conditions in the aviation sector, their counterparts elsewhere in Nigeria are threatening to do same and in this case locate to Ghana.
In the case of Ghana’s airline operators, the high cost of aviation fuel as well as a growing list of local operators being given the nod to operate among others was reason for their threats to pull out.
For their Nigerian counterparts however, the imposition of a new tariff by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority of $4, 000 and $300, 000 for foreign registered and Nigerian carrier per trip is the reason for the threat.
The latest imposition means airline operators will be charged that amount for every take off they make.
The new fee will also affect private jet owners who engage in unscheduled (charter) operations.
Aside this fresh charge, the operators are also to pay navigational, landing and parking charges, passenger service charge and 5 per cent of the total revenue made if the flight is chartered.
Industry players in Nigeria say the development will see airline operators move their operations to Ghana where the charges are not only moderate but reasonable.
Two local airlines from Ghana, Starbow and Africa World Airlines were recently given the nod by Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority to operate in the country another local airline Antrak is also expected to be given the nod soon.
Starbow is yet to announce when it will begin plying that route will Africa world airline is expected to commence in October.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has filed a suit in the Federal High Court, Lagos challenging the reluctance of foreign and Nigerian registered airlines to pay some stipulated fees for their operation.
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