Aviation Shutdown: FCCPC Warns Airline Operators Against Undue Exploitation Of Passengers

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has warned Airline Operators of Nigeria against undue exploitation of passengers as a result of its planned shutdown of airline services on Monday.

The FCCPC said this in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by its Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Babatunde Irukera.

The FCCPC in the statement said the warning became imperative following complains from passengers that some airlines are still selling tickets beyond the May 9 date that the shutdown of airlines was to commence.

The FCCPC Boss explained that it will be egregious exploitation of consumers and a violation of law to sell a service that the service provider knows, it will not, or does not intend to provide or deliver.

Specifically, Irukera said it is misleading and deceptive under Section 123 of the FCCPC Act to represent a service will be delivered on a certain date when the provider knows the same is false or improbable

The airlines had lamented the impact of aviation fuel on their operations which rose to N600 in February.

This led to the increment of airfares from around N25,000 to over N50,000 across all routes.

The airlines while disclosing the development said the Jet A1 fuel price had risen to N700 and now constitutes 95 per cent of their operating cost.

But Irukera in the statement implored domestic airlines to consider the effect of the proposed shutdown on passengers and the magnitude of difficulties and hardship associated with such an action.

The statement reads, “The Commission does not trivialise the disruption and potential challenge to business continuity and survivability an inordinately high cost of jet fuel presents to domestic aviation, especially coupled with other rising cost of operations and foreign exchange.

Indeed, the Commission has been in discussion with the leadership of major fuel marketers to understand the global supply challenges and possible steps to ameliorate same.

“Accordingly, the Commission strongly advocates engagement among all stakeholders across the value chain to mitigate the current constraints and develop an acceptable interim arrangement to address problems and costs associated with global supply constraints on account of a war, sanctions associated with the war, and a fragile ongoing post pandemic recovery in aviation.

“The Commission is however concerned with rising consumer feedback that airlines have continued to sell tickets beyond the date announced for the proposed service shutdown.

“To the extent that this is accurate, and the airlines have decided and are resolute, it will be egregious exploitation of consumers and a violation of law to purport to sell a service that the service provider knows, it will not, or does not intend to provide or deliver.

“It is misleading and deceptive under S.123 of the FCCPA to represent a service will be delivered on a certain date when the provider knows the same is false or improbable.

“The Commission is optimistic that airline operators will not deliberately sell tickets for flights they do not intend to operate, and is as such hopeful that a solution short of a shutdown will emerge accordingly.

“The Commission continues to monitor this sensitive and evolving situation and remains committed to supporting engagements to provide solutions and stability.”