Air Passengers to pay more as FAAN hikes service charge by 100

Passengers travelling through Nigerian Airports will be in for difficult times as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has concluded plans to increase Passenger Service Charge (PSC) by 100 per cent. 

The new charge regime scheduled for implementation effective August 1, 2020 requires passengers to pay N2,000 as PSC as against the old charge of N1000 for domestic flight.

Under the proposed arrangement, international passengers will have to cough up $100 as against $50 previously.

The PSC is one of the components factored into air fares by both domestic and international airlines.

The Nation investigation revealed that the new arrangement will trigger rise in fares at a time the industry is struggling to get passengers return to the skies on account of the debilitating effects of COVID -19.

The Managing Director of FAAN, Capt  Rabiu Yadudu, in a letter dated June 22, 2020 with reference Ref: FAAN/HQ/MD/18E/VOL.86/72 , titled “Implementation of the approved new passenger service charge (PSC)” effective August 1, 2020 and sent to all airlines, stated that the decision was premised on the approval given by the Minister of Aviation in a letter with reference number FMT/FMA/COM/T/69, dated August 3, 2017, which he said was sought with the intention to improve and upgrade airports infrastructure, among others.

Yadudu noted that the authority recently notified the Minister of Aviation of its intention to commence the implementation effective August 1, 2020, stressing that on several occasions, they had engaged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and relevant stakeholders, which he said delayed its implementation since 2017.