Aviation unions back proposed increase in passenger service charge

Airline passengers should brace for a hike in the cost of flying as the authorities get set to hike Passenger Service Charge (PSC).

Some of the major aviation unions– Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) – have given their backing to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)’s plan.

The PSC is collected by the airlines upon purchase of tickets and paid to FAAN after completion of the flight. Currently a passenger on domestic flight pays N1,000 while a passenger on international flight is billed $50.

The charges are used to cover the cost of maintaining common areas in the passenger terminals, providing passenger information, maintaining security and ensuring that customers use the airport in comfort. The PSC was last increased in 2011.

The aviation unions made their postions known in Lagos yesterday although FAAN is yet to announce the new rate.

The general secretary of National Union of Pensioners (NUP) Comrade Emeka Njoku said te hike was overdue for review.

Njoku said acquisition and maintenance of current infrastructure at airports across the country was becoming increasingly difficulty stressing that the only way to survive was for FAAN to adjust upwards its charges to reflect the current value and cost of operation.

Comrade Njoku called for the full commercialisation of FAAN to increase revenue points without any interference from any quarters in order to enable it to render better service to the public.

National Secretary of ANAP Abdulrasaq Saidu said the increment would enable FAAN to meet up with its responsibility of providing qualitative services to passengers.

Saidu said the increment was justified after eight years since the last review, stressing that factors such as inflation and naira devaluation had made it a necessity.

He said, “Airlines and other airport users have reviewed their charges several times within this period.