The International Air Transport Association has decried the United States’ proposal to double the 9/11 passenger security fee as part of its deficit reduction plan.

The director General of IATA who stated this said “airlines and passengers are being asked to pay for national security, although  it clearly is a reasonability of government”.

“To add insult to injury, more than half of the increased revenue from the higher fee will be diverted into the general fund and will not be used to make air travel more secure” he added.

Passengers travelling from U.S airport pay a security fee of $2.50 per flight segment with a cap of 5 one-way and 10 per round trip. The proposal would raise the fee to $5 for all one-way trip and $ 10per round trip. For the majority of passengers who do not connect or change flight during their journey, this presents a doubling of the charge under the proposal. The round trip charge would increase by $1 per year between 2013 and 2017.

According to Tyler “ this is absolutely the wrong approach . Aviation is a catalyst for growth in the worldwide economy. The economic outlook is uncertain and confidence among both businesses and con summers is low.  

“ Making air travel progressively more expensive is not a sound economic strategy. A similar peer passenger tax in the Netherlands cost the economy more than it collected in revenues.

Globally, aviation support $3.5 trillion  in economic activity and 33 million jobs” he added.

Meanwhile the managing Director of Bristow Helicopter, Captain Akin Oni has attributed the reduction in the number of domestic airline to intense competition , improved regulatory framework and the use of right equipment on routes that are lucrative.

Oni affirmed that if Nigeria must be positioned as the preferred hub for West Africa, Airlines safety, integrity, and operational infrastructure must be addressed to attract the desired multilateral investment .

According to him, the development of safety road map for the growth and development of the airline sub-sector could be hinged on accountability of public funds injected into the industry for infrastructure upgrade as well as adherence to standards and recommended practices  of the International Civil Aviation organisation. He said  if the aviation industry must attain progress, its players must embrace sources of low and appropriate finances to address infrastructure issue, which continue to pose as irritant in the development and growth of the sector.

“One of the major challenges the aviation is grappling with is the expected shake-out,for domestic airlines. At the moment only a few airlines will survive the shake-out, because the current operator are struggling with funds, which is a key component for airlines survival.

“There is an urgent need for airlines merger and consolidation, but negotiating this among the subsisting operators will be an uphill task” he said.