Airline operators are currently in a dilemma over the face-off between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN and fuel marketers at the Abuja airport over 100% increment in apron pass charges.
Because the fuel marketers refused to pay, the agency has denied fuel vendors from gaining access into the apron area.
Due to the development, all aircraft landing at the Abuja airport cannot take off without refuelling.
Investigation revealed that, the 100% increase in apron charge access will also affect every business owners using the apron including the ground handlers.
The Ramp at the Abuja is now congested as aircraft landing cannot take off.
Some airlines have three to four aircraft sitting on the ramp and this has affected the on-time departures of most airlines and disrupted Passengers Easter plans.
Lagos to Akure with 100% load factor of 4pm is now cancelled as the airline cannot meet up with sunset and the return leg Akure to Lagos with 70% full have been cancelled and rescheduled.
Responding to the development, the Acting General Manager, Public Affairs FAAN, Mrs. Faithful Hope-Ivbaze said, the fuel marketers pass to the apron had expired since May and were given up till April first to pay up but failed.
“Apron passes are given for one year and within that period they are supposed to renew. The money is not much N200,000, when our facilities break down, they except us to fix it. Government is not giving us subvention for any of these things, we are an IGR agency, and it is expected that all our facilities be up to date, and we need money to run these things and many of our customers are owing”, she said.
As at the time of this report, the fuel marketers are yet to accede to FAAN’s request to settle their debt.
Reporting by Nosa Aituamen; Editing by Annabel Nwachukwu