NCAA warns foreign airlines over sale of tickets in dollars

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Agency (NCAA) has warned foreign airlines to desist from the sale of their tickets in dollars.
The agency said that the action contravened regulations of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guiding pricing of goods and services in the country.
It was learnt that the NCAA has been inundated with reports of foreign airlines demanding dollars from clients, especially travel management companies (TMCs), before issuing them tickets.
Some tour operators said that many foreign airlines charged fares in dollars mainly because they could not repatriate their fund as a result of the nation’s restrictive foreign exchange policy.
The NCAA, Sunday, warned all airlines selling flight tickets in dollars to desist from doing so.
The NCAA, in a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr Sam Adurogboye, said that the CBN circular issued on April 17, 2015, directed thus: “Pricing of any product shall continue to be in Naira only and it is illegal to price or denominate the cost of any product or service (visible or invisible) in any foreign currency.
“The authority is disturbed by reports that some foreign airlines are declining to accept Nigeria’s local currency-the Naira as payment for tickets. Some foreign airlines have blatantly resorted to selling tickets only in foreign currency. This act is considered insensitive to passengers who have elected on their own volition to choose the airlines for their travel.
“This is also contrary to the provisions of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and other countries as contained in Article 8 (4).”
The statement said that the NCAA has warned erring airlines “to immediately comply with the provisions of BASA and CBN directive”, adding: “Sales of tickets and services should, henceforth, be offered to air travellers in Naira without further delay.”