Air Peace Chairman Calls For Presidential Committee On Taxes, Charges Airlines Pay
The Chairman of Air Peace, Barrister Allen Onyema has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to set up an Aviation Taxes And Charges Committee to review the existing charges and taxes that airlines pay to various aviation agencies, stating that the taxes and charges are threatening survival of the airlines.
Speaking on an Arise Television interview today, Onyema explained that “if those charges are not reviewed, airlines in Nigeria will continue to struggle for survival.” He said the committee should include the Minister of Aviation & Aerospace Development, airline operators and other stakeholders.
He argued that the 5% Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) that constitutes what passengers pay does not belong to the airlines and so, a government agency should collect it separately from the air fares paid while buying tickets. He frowned at the idea of taxing airlines directly to raise revenue for government. He emphasized that because of the importance of airlines to the nation’s economy, there would be job losses, among other consequences if airlines go down.
He commended the efforts made so far by Minister Festus Keyamo and the President to enable growth of the airline business in the country.
