Air Peace says it may take legal action against the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for disrupting the airline’s operations in Enugu on Friday, causing it the loss of millions of Naira,
The Chairman of the airline, Mr Allen Onyema, told newsmen in Lagos on Friday that the airport manager disrupted the airline’s operations for two hours over an alleged N7 million debt.
He alleged that the FAAN’s Enugu Airport Manager stopped the airline’s operations despite their clarification that the said money had been paid to FAAN.
Onyema said: “I got a call this morning that FAAN stopped our operations in Enugu over N7 million debt, which we have already paid.
“The airport manager did not go back to check his books to know if we actually paid or not but hurriedly stopped our operations, a situation that is costing us millions of naira.”
According to him, despite providing evidence of the N7 million payment, the airport manager claimed that the airline was still owing an outstanding of N1.8 million.
Onyema said it was ironic that another airline that was heavily indebted to the Federal Government was allowed to operate during the said period from the airport.
“If we are not adequately compensated for our losses, we promise the government that we will go to court.
“This is part of the reasons why airlines in Nigeria do not survive,” he said.
The Air Peace boss said he had communicated with the FAAN authorities to express his displeasure over the ill treatment, and they had promised to look into the issue.
He noted that as a fall out of the disruption, the airline was unable to operate its 7pm flight into Enugu Airport, which was very unfortunate as Fridays were the busiest days for airlines.
In response to the development, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, FAAN’s Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, confirmed that the airline had paid all its outstanding debt before the airline was shut down.
Yakubu, however, apologised for the inconveniences the situation might have created for the airline and its passengers and promised that the agency would ensure such situation does not occur in future. (NAN)
WAC/ASO/SOA