The Federal Government, through the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), raked in N36,554,35:00 on Passenger Service Charge (PSC) from passengers leaving the country in 2017, according to a report obtained from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Also, government generated N37 billion going by the exchange rate of N360 to a Dollar from $20 security levy collected from little over five million passengers exiting the country through the international airports.
A total of 2,505,612 passengers passed through Nigerian airports in the first quarter of 2017, 67.3 percent of them being domestic passengers, travelling within Nigeria, while the rest were international air travellers entering or exiting the country.
In the second quarter of 2017, overall passenger traffic (domestic and international) increased by 21.06 percent over the previous quarter but declined by -18.56 percent year-on-year. Similarly, aircraft movement increased by 11.23 percent in Q2 2017 over Q1 2017 but declined by -20.40 percent year-on-year.
The total passenger volume for 2017 stood at 11,221,617, while 15,232,597 passengers passed through the 32 airports and aerodromes belonging to federal and state governments in 2016. The report indicated that on the international scene, there were a total of 1,825,358 as outbound passengers, while 3,865,499 were outbound passengers on the local scene.
In all, there were 5,690,857 outbound passengers in 2017, while 5,530,760 were inbound passengers in both the local and international operations.
Statistics show that FAAN earned N32,312,483,500 as PSC from international passengers while it earned N3,865,499:00 from local travellers. FAAN charges outbound international passengers $50 (about N18250 at the exchange rate of N363 to a dollar) as PSC, while local travellers pay N1,000 for the same service. Statistics further revealed that Ethiopian Airlines generated the highest revenue for FAAN with N3,901,430,250 in 2017 among the international carriers. The airline airlifted 213,777 as outbound passengers within the period.
On the domestic scene, Air Peace led the pack with 1,312,849 outbound passengers, thereby generating N1, 312,849,000 for the airport manager within the period.
The PSC revenue generation was apart from other aeronautic and non-aeronautic incomes earn by FAAN across the airports in the country.
Further breakdown of revenues generated on the international routes by FAAN indicated that British Airways had 139,374 outbound passengers, representing N2,543,575, 500; Air France, 128,854 outbound passengers with N2,351585,500; Lufthansa, 131,206 outbound passengers with N2,394,509,500; Emirates, 213,777 outbound passengers, generating N2,240,771,500, and Turkish Airlines, which airlifted 115,764 outbound passengers, with N2,112,693,000.
Others are Virgin Atlantic Airways with 92,462 outbound passengers, generating N1,687431,500; KLM Airlines, 96,012 outbound passengers, earning N1,752,219,000; Qatar Airways, 90,724 outbound passengers and revenue generation of N1,655713,000. Also, Egypt Air, 79,950 outbound passengers and N1,459,087,500; South African Airways, 70,746 outbound traffic, N1,291, 114,500, and Asky Airways, 59,671 outbound movement and N1,088,995,750.
Besides, African World Airlines, 56,963 outbound movement, earning N1,039,574,750 for FAAN in 2017; Rwandair, 55,639 outward passengers, earning N1,015,411,750; Kenya Airways, 47,179 outward movements, representing N861,016,750; Delta Air Lines, 44,285 outbound passengers and generating N808,201,250.
Similarly, Royal Air Maroc, 46,565 with N849,811,250, and Etihad Airways, 43,449 outbound passengers with N792,944,250.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the Federal Government had put measures in place to continuously enhance safety and security in the aviation industry, According to Sirika, this was in accordance with the reformation agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari- led administration for the aviation sector.
In a statement, Sen. Sirika said following last Tuesday’s accident involving Dana Airline at the Port Harcourt International Airport, the Federal Government sympathized with the passengers on board of the aircraft over their traumatic experiences.
Sirika said the government will not abdicate its commitment to the safety and security of lives and property in the Nigerian airspace.
He said that the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, had commenced an investigation in accordance to ICAO Annex 13, while the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, had heightened Safety Oversight over the operator.
Written by Wole Shadare
