Disquiet in House of Reps over increasing costs of aviation services, airports decay

There is emerging disquiet in the House of Representatives over the increasing costs of aviation services, causing travelers by air to spend more, and the corresponding decline in effective service delivery, making airlines cancel and delay flights with impunity.

The House, therefore, ordered a comprehensive investigation by the Aviation, Human Rights, and Commerce Committees on Aviation on the general operations and facilities of the aviation sector, including the operations of the regulatory agencies.

A member of the House, Hon. Simon Karu, had moved a motion for the Investigation of the poor performance and high charges by airline operators in Nigeria. the lawmaker, in the motion, expressed disappointment that Nigerians have not benefited from domestic air travel, lamenting that air travelers face difficulties of timely departure and arrival on scheduled flights; the lawmaker berated airline operators for  constant delays and cancellation of flights with impunity and alteration of airline departure time contrary to Regulations of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and in contravention of International Aviation Standards.

Members of the House decried that the cost of local airfares for domestic air travels in the country has recently increased by 120%.

The investigative committee was, therefore, directed to conduct thorough investigations and report back to the whole House.