NCAA Warns Foreign Airlines Against Selling Tickets In Dollar

NCAA Warns Foreign Airlines Against Selling Tickets In Dollar
…Actions Contradict Article 8(4) Of BASA

ZAINAB JUNAID ELESHO

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned foreign airlines operating in the country to desist from selling tickets in Dollars, as it is contrary to the provisions of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and other countries contained in Article 8 (4).

A statement signed by the General Manager of Public Relations, Mr Sam Adurogboye depicted that the action of these airlines is a flagrant contravention of Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) prerequisite guiding cost of products or services in Nigeria.

Adurogboye in the statement affirmed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) circular issued on April 17, 2015, directed that “Pricing of any product shall continue to be in Naira only and it is illegal to price or denominate the cost of any product or service (visible or invisible) in any foreign currency.”

NCAA, he said, is hereby seeking the indulgence of those foreign airlines that are declining to accept Nigeria’s local currency- (Naira) as mode of ticket payment, but have blatantly resorted to selling tickets only in foreign currency to stop doing so.

"This is because the foreign airlines' actions are considered insensitive to passengers, who have decided on their own volition to choose the airlines for their travel.

“It is also contrary to the provisions of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and other countries as contained in Article 8 (4)”.
Adurogboye said.

Though, the names of the foreign airlines involved in the act were not made known ,Adurogboye stated that NCAA had written warning letters to the erring airlines to immediately comply with the provisions of BASA and CBN directive, stressing that sales of tickets and services should henceforth be offered to air travellers in Naira without further delay.

He further assured foreign airlines that the Federal Government of Nigeria has taken measures to ameliorate the subsisting foreign exchange issues.