The Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has implored Airlines Operators of Nigeria (AON) to suspend their planned shutdown, which is to kick-off on Monday, May 9, 2022.
This was disclosed by the agency via a statement issued and shared via its Twitter handle on Saturday.
According to the statement, which was signed by its Executive Vice Chairman, Babatunde Irukera, the commission encouraged and implored the airline operators to consider the implications of the planned shutdown.
Irukera stated, “The commission implores and encouraged domestic airlines to consider the effects of the proposed shutdown on passengers and the magnitude, difficulties and hardship that comes with such actions.
“The commission does not trivialise the disruption and potential challenge to the business continuity and survivability an inordinately high cost of Jet fuel cost present to domestic aviation.”
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 strongly advocates engagement among all stakeholders across the value chain to mitigate the current constraints and develop an acceptable interim arrangement.
”This is 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.”
OBSERVERSTIMES recall that Air Peace, Ibom Air, Max Air, Arik Air, United Nigeria Airlines and four others are embarking on an indefinite strike on Monday, May 9, 2020, as the cost of the aviation fuel hits N700 per litre.
Other airlines affected are Aero Contractors, Azman Air, Overland Airways, and Dana Air.
This was disclosed by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) via a statement issued on Friday.
The statement, which was seen by Nairametrics, was signed by the President of AON, Abdulmunaf Yunusa and copied to the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika and the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Capt. Musa Nuhu.