The former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Samuel Caulcrick, has raised concerns over an imbalance in Nigeria’s aviation funding and regulatory framework.

Caulcrick, in an interview with The Guardian yesterday, said that commercial air passengers bear a disproportionate share of the cost of sustaining the industry.

Caulcrick said while passengers travelling on scheduled airlines contribute to aviation funding through statutory charges embedded in their tickets, private jet operators using the same airspace and airport infrastructure do not make equivalent contributions.

He declared that the situation places additional financial pressure on commercial airlines and ultimately contributes to higher fares and reduced access to air travel.

Caulcrick, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Express Cargo Ltd, mentioned the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), collected from airline ticket sales to support aviation agencies, as one of the major funding mechanisms through which commercial passengers contribute to the sector.

According to him, private business jet operators do not pay the charge because they do not sell tickets, relying instead on fuel-related taxes and landing and parking fees.

He said: “Your ticket is keeping the entire system alive. Yet you are the one who gets policed, delayed, and squeezed the most. This arrangement is structurally unfair to ordinary travelers.

“Commercial airlines and private aircraft operators benefit from common aviation infrastructure, including air traffic control services, runways and the national airspace, despite differences in their financial contributions to the system.”

Caulcrick maintained that the disparity deserved closer examination by the Federal government and aviation regulators, particularly as the industry continued to grapple with high operating costs and expensive airfares.

He also itemised differences between the regulatory requirements for scheduled commercial airlines and those governing private aviation.

While scheduled commercial operators are subject to extensive requirements covering aircraft maintenance, crew rest, operational procedures and flight dispatch, he said private operators conducting non-commercial flights operate under a different regulatory framework.

He noted that in Nigeria, holders of a Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) operate under Part 18 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NigCARs), subject to the applicable requirements.

Caulcrick emphasised that private aviation serves legitimate corporate and personal transportation needs, but queried whether the distinction between commercial and non-commercial operations was being properly enforced.

He alleged that some PNCF holders were operating flights for hire or reward, contrary to the conditions governing non-commercial operations.

According to him, such practices, if established, would create an uneven competitive environment by allowing operators to attract premium-paying passengers without necessarily meeting the same commercial obligations as licensed charter operators and scheduled airlines.

He expressed that commercial airlines could lose some of their most lucrative passengers to operators offering private flights outside the approved commercial framework, weakening their revenue base while leaving them responsible for statutory charges and other operating costs.

Caulcrick said the resulting pressure could affect airlines’ ability to sustain routes, expand capacity and keep fares affordable.

He further noted that disruptions caused by industrial disputes within the aviation sector often affect scheduled airline passengers more severely than private jet users.

According to him, commercial travellers are more likely to face cancellations, delays and difficulties accessing airport facilities during such disruptions, while private jet users may have alternative arrangements.

He called for a review of the funding and regulatory framework to ensure that all aviation users make appropriate contributions towards the infrastructure and services they utilise.

Caulcrick also urged the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to strengthen enforcement against operators allegedly using non-commercial permits to conduct commercial flights.

He said a more equitable system would require effective monitoring of private aviation activities, enforcement of existing regulations and a funding structure that reflects the demands different categories of operators place on the aviation system.