Skip to main content

En route Charges: Supreme Court dismisses AON appeal


*Says NAMA is statutorily empowered to charge airlines
*we are vindicated and we urge airlines to pay up their debts-NAMA boss

 Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on Friday in Abuja secured a landmark victory over the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) as the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment, dismissed its appeal over the payment of en route charges.

 NAMA had in 2006 floored the domestic airline operators over the same issue at the Appeal Court in Lagos which declared that the airlines had no cogent reason not to pay for services rendered to them by the agency.A panel of five judges headed by Hon. Justice Mary Odili, while dismissing the appeal by AON, affirmed that NAMA is statutorily empowered to charge the domestic airlines on the controversial en route services like their foreign counterparts.

 The court thereafter awarded a cost of N100, 000 in favour of NAMA.

NAMA on record loses an average of N500milllion accruable revenue annually following the refusal of the domestic carriers to honour
bills on enroute services as they often claimed to have "godfather's
right" to evade payment.Engr Mazi Nnamdi Udoh, the managing director of the agency, who was
elated by the judgment, attributed the legal victory to the agency's
firm belief in due process in tackling contentious issues like the
navigational charges.
 ''From the beginning of this case in 2006,we have chosen not to
disrupt the activities of the airlines, even when we the Appellant
Court in Lagos gave us the power to collect our charges.
 ''We were patient enough not to rock the boat and that is why we
followed it up to the Apex Court with the AON  and today (Friday) the
panel of judges in a unanimous decision dismissed the appeal to our
favour.
 ''This victory is part of the transformation agenda of the federal
government and we really give kudos to the jurists who in their wisdom
delivered this landmark judgment for the aviation sector to move
forward'', Udoh remarked further.
The NAMA boss consequently appeal  to the domestic carriers to commence
the process of liquidating their respective outstanding bills of more
than N4billion on the en route charges.
 Engr. Udoh reminded the airlines that the agency has been consistent
in providing quality air navigation services, urging them to play
their own part by paying their bills regularly as free lunch is now
over.
 NAMA boss added that the self sustaining agency requires a lot of
funds to run the system and create a peaceful industrial harmony
through training of personnel and regular payment of salary.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Qatar Airways in Hot Water: NCAA Accuses Airline of Disregarding Nigerian Laws

 The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has slammed Qatar Airways with serious allegations of disregarding Nigerian passengers and aviation laws .  According to NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer  Protection, Michael Achimugu ,Qatar Airways had  repeatedly violated regulations, notably in an incident involving a Nigerian couple traveling to the US via Doha .  A cabin crew member had accused the male passenger of misconduct during boarding in Lagos , but didn't report it then.  However, upon arrival in Doha, the accusation was made, leading to his arrest and detention for 18 hours.  The passenger, Achimugu stated  had to pay a fine and sign a document in Arabic , which he couldn't read, to secure his release and  despite this, Qatar Airways refused to let him continue his journey, forcing him to buy new tickets. The NCAA criticized Qatar Airways for ignoring their invitations and failing to respond to complaints.  The aut...
Post a Comment
Read more

Air Traffic Controllers Suspend Warning Strike...In Crucial Meeting With NAMA Management

Normalcy has returned to the nation's airspace as  Air Traffic Controllers stepped down it warning strike which informed spacing of traffic flow by 20 minutes at four major airports in Lagos,Abuja, Portharcourt and Kano. The  suspension,according to a statement signed by the Managing Director of the Agency , Capt. Fola Akinkuotu is to allow " for a follow-up meeting between NAMA management, Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Association, scheduled to hold later today".  Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) reassured airspace users and the general public that the Nigerian airspace remains safe for seamless and economic air travel.  The agency expressed regret over streaks of  inconveniences caused earlier today by the warning strike. S
Post a Comment
Read more

Full ATC Services Restored At MMIA As NAMA Deploys Mobile Tower

  The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has successfully deployed a Mobile Control Tower at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, in a swift and strategic response to the recent fire incident that affected critical air-ground communication infrastructure at the old terminal. Speaking during the on-site inspection of the facility, the Director of Safety Electronics and Engineering Services, Engr. Terese Ihenacho noted that the deployment marked a significant operational milestone, highlighting NAMA’s resilience and unwavering commitment to ensuring the continuity of safe and efficient air navigation services in Nigeria’s busiest aviation hub. She commended the dedication and technical expertise of NAMA personnel whose efforts ensured the timely delivery and operational readiness of the tower. “As you can see, the Mobile Tower is fully operational and serviceable. All necessary test runs have been successfully completed, and air traffic controllers are ...
Post a Comment
Read more