FG goes to sleep while foreign airlines exploit Nigerians

TO describe Nigeria as one of the most lawless countries in the world where anything goes may not be an exaggeration after all for here it is possible to do and undo, especially if you have the influence and the fame, without being questioned.

In other words, you can get anything you want once you belong to this lawless class while others who are in the majority can go to hell.

This type of anomaly has continued to be the bane of the country with nearly everything collapsing like a pack of poorly arranged cards.

Since it is no longer news that when this group of people tramples upon the rights of others, particularly the poor masses, other insults and shenanigans can follow suit no matter how illegal it may be.

To worsen the situation, this act of lawlessness which often rub off on the generality of the citizens, especially as it affects the common heritage of the over 200 million Nigerians, is also being exploited by even foreigners doing businesses in Nigeria.

Many of the foreign entities have capitalised on the lack of patriotism on the part of this influential group including those who should protect the commonwealth of the country.

These foreign businesses, with the backing of few elements in high places, have been allowed to perpetrate so many illegalities that have further worsened the hardship of Nigerians, particularly air travellers.

Foreign businesses are thriving on the blood of Nigerians while those who should challenge them often get reward for their complicity as they show the foreign businesses how to continue to use the lawless situation to milk the country dry.

This dangerous attribute has become the common feature in all the sectors of the country’s economy, not exempting aviation where all activities are done in line with international standard.

It is on record that many of the foreign airlines operating in Nigeria today are enjoying uncommon privileges that are not available elsewhere while indigenous carriers are left in the cold.

In Nigeria, foreign carriers enjoy multiple entry points, unlimited frequencies, a huge market backed by the government’s over pampering tendencies as witnessed in the loose Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASAs) signed with the home countries of the airlines that have been described as the most disadvantageous agreements that do not exist in smaller countries like Ghana or Togo.

With all these unlimited opportunities, as expected in a balanced trade agreement, it is only normal for these foreign carriers to in return, treat Nigeria and Nigerians like kings and queens as a way of showing appreciation for the uncommon patronage available all year round in view of the huge traffic existing in the Nigerian market.

Unfortunately, these foreign carriers are rubbing these privileges on the face of the Nigerian travelling public through the hostile fares they slam on different Nigerian routes which have been adjudged to be the most expensive globally under the guise of trapped funds.

Only last week, the President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs Suzan Akporiaye, at a press conference in Lagos, lamented how the foreign carriers have been holding on to the excuse of the trapped funds not peculiar to Nigeria to make unjustifiable profits from Nigeria.

She said, “As we speak, it is only in Nigeria that a traveller is made to cough out over $2,000 for an economy ticket and also change the date of the flight itinerary for whatever personal reasons with about N1.5 to N1.8 million. To put this in perspective, allow-fare inventories of the airlines have been deliberately blocked to our members and to this market.”

The NANTA leadership called out the government and those who should challenge the foreign carriers for allowing them to operate freely even when the high handedness of the mega carriers had made the travel agencies to lose over $500 million last year.

Crucial Moment is joining NANTA and the travelling public to call on the Minister of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to immediately rescue Nigerians from these foreign carriers’ exploitation.

The mega carriers have shown themselves as mere opportunists and fair weather friends who are only ready to use any available means to inflict hardships in return for the huge funds they are generating in Nigeria.

The contradiction manifesting in this shenanigans is that despite the complaints about the trapped funds which the airlines are holding on to, one would have expected them to suspend their operations into Nigeria like Emirates did, but because of the monies they are making here unchallenged, they refused to let go.