Business
Stop Direct Collection Of PSC, CPC Tells FAAN
The Director General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs Ify Umenyi,has advised the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) not to collect N1,000 Passengers Service Charge (PSC) directly from travellers at International Airports.
Umenyi gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Monday, adding that CPC would discuss the issue with FAAN in the interest of passengers.
She said collecting PSC was an issue between FAAN and airline operators, which should be resolved amicably without involving passengers.
Umenyi said that the commission was aware that FAAN had earlier complained that airlines did not remit the charge to it after collection from passengers.
“FAAN claimed that they are collecting a charge that was supposed to have been collected by the air operators and remit to them but because they are not remitting, they decided to start collecting the charge.
“It is wrong, we would actually take it up with FAAN because they should resolve their internal issues; consumers should not be made to be part of what is supposed to be an issue between air operators and FAAN.
“I am sure FAAN has other ways of ensuring that airlines pay them their dues, so consumers should not come into it and CPC is going to see to it that consumers should not come into it,’’ Umenyi said.
She said that CPC had discussed the issue with FAAN, adding that a letter had been written to Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which was aware of the
situation.
FAAN had pasted the notice at various international airports since June 1 directing that passengers travelling locally should pay N1,000 cash as PSC before they could be issued boarding passes.
Mr AIfred Itua, FAAN Head of Public Affairs, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, told newsmen that the collection of the PSC was in order.
He said FAAN management had directed its staff to collect the money from passengers since airline operators were not remitting the money to FAAN.
“For more than 20 years, government has stopped giving us subventions. We use whatever we generate to pay staff salaries, maintain the airports and other projects,’’ he said.
Itua said the money was being used to pay staff salaries and to run other projects, such as the maintenance of the airport, improvement of facilities, apron expansion, perimeter fencing, road and remodeling of terminal building.