Air Peace has spoken out against the allegations of exploitative airfares levelled against it by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
The airline has written to President Bola Tinubu and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment to clarify its stance on the matter.
According to Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olajide, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Air Peace, the allegations have negatively affected the airline’s business and image outside the country. Olajide expressed appreciation for the Federal Government’s support for Nigerian airlines but regretted that some agencies’ attitudes contradict the government’s support.
The airline debunked reports that it was being investigated by the FCCPC, stating that the commission had sent a letter of enquiry, which Air Peace honoured by attending a meeting in Abuja.
In addition, Olajide highlighted the challenges faced by Nigerian airlines, including high interest rates on loans, the high price of Jet A1 fuel, insurance, maintenance, taxes, and other levies imposed on airlines. These challenges, she said, contribute to the collapse of many Nigerian airlines.
She said: “We deeply appreciate the support of President Bola Tinubu for the Nigerian airlines and that is why we want to clarify this. The FCCPC had sent a letter of enquiry to us and we were called to come to Abuja.
“We honoured the request and in fact Dr. Allen Onyema, the Chairman of Air Peace himself went to Abuja to listen to what they have to say about this inquiry. Let me try to say something before I go deep into this whole matter. Aviation is a highly regulated industry and we are fully aware that this industry is regulated by the NCAA.
“So, if there are any issues at all, and we have another agency that wants to make an inquiry about an airline, the right channel was for such agency to approach the NCAA for such clarification or concerns. Then, the NCAA will give them the full details.
“Then, if they are not satisfied with the explanation, you can write to us directly for an explanation. When the news broke out the next day, it was no longer an enquiry, rather it was that the Federal Government was investigating Air Peace. A lot of people might not know the implication of that headline alone.”
