FAAN: Ending Touting To Improve Airport Infrastructure, Passengers Confidence

Over the years, touting activities in the nation’s airports have contributed  directly  to  the service users’ dissatisfaction and  added to the  negative impression on the Nigerian air transport industry.

For instance, a tout, being a security risk to the airport can be influenced easily with money, by anyone who may wish to harm the traveling public or damage the airport infrastructure. The touts can work for anybody as an informant to expose the security lapses at the nation’s airports, if reasonable promises are made.

In fact, they represent an insider threat, which any criminal or terror group would like to use for  their  benefits.

In the recent years, touting activities at the nation’s airports have continued to exist as a perennial problem that has been very difficult to tackle, despite all the efforts put in by the Authorities.

Usually, these touts engage themselves in all sort of activities – carry passenger’s luggage, make a reservation for their taxis and hotels, purchase and resell airline tickets at the airports. Besides, they extort money, collect illegal fees from passengers, engage in stealing and intimidate passengers.

The unease caused by these reprehensible activities of touts to the nation’s air transport industry reputation is a red flag, especially when trying to lure potential investors and tourists to the country. Many years ago, it came to a level in Nigeria that it became a national embarrassment.

Many years back, touting activities at the nation’s airports was seen as perennial issue that could not be solved by any means. However, with the coming on board of the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, it is gradually becoming clear that the issue of touting will soon be a thing of the past.

Unsatisfied with the touts’ activities at the airports and due to her commitment to creating a seamless and pleasant experience for travelers, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku  is already tackling the menace to prevent further exploitation of passengers and to protect the air transport industry holistically.

Mrs. Kuku has therefore, taken decisive steps towards achieving her aim. To drive the process effectively, she is making plans to establish magistrate courts at international airports to expedite the legal process for prosecuting offenders.

Beyond the legal process, her administration has launched an extensive campaign to crack down on such illegal activities. One of such moves is the establishment of a dedicated task force aimed at ensuring a smooth and pleasant travel experience for all airport users. The task force has been mandated to enforce discipline among airport staff and maintain a culture of professionalism at all levels.

Mrs. Kuku did not just stop at that. She went further to engage with all government agencies operating at the airports to ensure compliance with the anti-touting and anti-extortion measures.

In addition, dedicated phone lines and QR codes have been set up to provide passengers with a means of providing feedback on their airport experience.

To also ensure that touting of any kind is completely eradicated, it is now mandatory that all airport personnel must prominently display their on-duty cards and name tags for easy identification and accountability.

However, these efforts put up to fight against touts have not gone unnoticed and have garnered commendations from stakeholders and even the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN).

In support of the impressive strategies FAAN MD is adopting, regarding touting and extortion at Nigerian airports, Keyamo has also offered her the full support.

Now, there are billboards well mounted at strategic locations to warn airport users against touts and extortion with accompanying directives on how passengers who are harassed can notify.

With the efforts, Mrs. Kuku and her agency are putting in to eradicate touting activities at the airports, there are possibilities that she can comfortably win the much fought war against touting activities.

No doubt, Kuku as a multi-talented, resourceful aviation industry professional with vast management expertise has shown that she is the right person to effectively manage FAAN and to take the airports to the desired level and in line with global standards.