Domestic Airlines Debt: AON Debunks Claim of Defrauding Government Agencies

• Says Global Airlines Owe Debts, Nigeria Not Exceptional

The Airline Operators of Nigeria, (AON), has expressed its concern over accusations of them defrauding government with over N46 billion debts, saying that airlines globally owe debts and Nigeria is not exempted.

The AON also charged its members with bad debts to engage the agencies and put forward repayment plans immediately.

The AON reaction is coming against the backdrop of the stakeholders meeting held yesterday, where it was disclosed that they owe the aviation agencies, which include the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, NAMA.

The agencies asserted that the debts owed is capable of crippling them and as such the airlines should present a repayment plan.

But, in statement made available to Gentechnews by AON, Vice President, Barr. Allen Onyema, he noted that the airlines were operating under harsh conditions in the country and that every airline in the world is indebted which are settled as their operations go on; hence insisting that it was no reason to criminalize the airlines.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to news making the rounds that the DG NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, “accused airlines of defrauding government aviation agencies like the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) of over N19billion Naira while converting same to personal use.

“The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) wishes to state its very strong reservations for such accusations and we deny very strongly that our members are defrauding or defrauded government agencies of the said amount or any amount for that matter.

“Airline Operations, worldwide, is not a cash and carry business. Every airline in the world owes debts which are settled as their operations go on. Nigeria is not an exception.

“It is true that some of our members have very bad debts but not all our members owe such debts. The owing of debts in itself does not amount to fraud. We frown very strongly at the criminalization of all Nigerian airlines as a result of the said debts.

“Various parties were present at a stakeholders’ meeting and the DG NCAA did not at any time use such words to describe Nigerian airlines. Rather, the meeting ended on an amicable note with everyone agreeing to work together to address the debts.

“It is pertinent to point out that some of these debts are owed by some airlines that are no longer in existence.

“We, however, advise our members with such bad debts to engage the agencies and put forward repayment plans.

“Airlines in Nigeria are operating under very harsh environment and need all the support from everyone.”