Ex-NANTA boss implores FG to protect travel agencies from airlines’ extortions

A former Vice Chairman, National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Segun Adewale, has urged the Federal Government to protect travel agencies from alleged extortion by airline operators.

Adewale, the Chief Executive Officer of Aeroland Travels Limited, made this appeal Lagos, saying the Federal Government, through Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, must put an end to frivolous fines being slammed on Nigerian travel agencies by foreign airlines, especially Turkish Airline.

According to him, the government needs to take action because many travel agencies are closing shops due to frivolous fines imposed by airlines.

He narrated how recently Turkish airline slammed his firm with more than N56m and $8,000 penalties over alleged breach of regulations.

The CEO noted that his firm had approached the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in a petition against Turkish Airline’s alleged debit deductions from the company’s account over infractions’ allegations.

He said that when the NCAA waded into matter, the airline management pleaded to settle out of court.

“After retrieving our petition from NCAA, the airline stopped responding to all entreaties to reverse the illegal debit. The airline even blocked our access to the system.”

He said the matter had got to the court but the court gave an alternative of going through Arbitration and Mediation Centre.

“While this was going on, the airline still debited us another N11m for another penalty after about nine months the airline had collected money for value of the tickets issues by Aero Land Travels.

“It is not only me, there are so many travel agencies they have wreaked their businesses.”

Adewale said that the money in dispute at the moment is about N69.49m.

Claiming that as an IATA licensed travel agent he can issue ticket originating from anywhere in the world from Nigeria. “I can make a booking in Ghana or America and write the ticket in Nigeria with my licence. All IATA licensed travel agencies have the liberty to issue tickets for airlines operating in Nigeria from anywhere,” he said.

Reacting on the development, the President of NANTA, Mr. Yinka Folami, who noted that the body would arrange a meeting between the aggrieved and the airline, said NANTA would continue to ensure good relationship with airlines.

Meanwhile, efforts to get comment from the top official of Turkish Airline in Nigeria didn’t yield any results as the Nigerian representative asked that questions be sent which was complied with but failed to reply almost a week after.