NCAA, airline operators in fresh war over charges

 

Airline operators yesterday called for the suspension of automation of revenue remittance by airlines to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) “until the parameters that constitute the five per cent Ticket and Cargo Sales Charge (TSC/CSC) are clearly and properly defined”.

Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Capt. Nogie Meggison who briefed newsmen at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos said the airlines are not averse to the automation system but the regulatory body must give clarification on what constitutes the five per cent TSC/CSC charge.

AON’s statement was in reaction to the earlier one by the NCAA last week where it urged all airlines to join the automation platform in the remittance of their TSC/CSC.

The deadline given by the NCAA for airlines to join the automation platform was January but it was shifted till March 31, 2017.

Following the expiration, the NCAA through a statement by its General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Sam Adurogboye threatened to ground operators which fail to adhere to the automation and remit collected revenue  to NCAA.

There has been an unending war between the NCAA and operators over the five per cent charge which is statutorily collected from passengers by airlines on behalf of aviation agencies including NCAA which takes 58 per cent; Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), 23 per cent, Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).

But AON said the automation system is discriminatory as the foreign airlines are not compelled to join the platform.

Meggison said compelling the airlines to pay five per cent would amount to multiple taxation because the airlines already pay for all services rendered to them by the agencies.

He said the operators were astonished that the NCAA issued the warning even though issues that were raised at the previous meeting with the Director General had not been resolved.- Daily Trust