The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has warned companies such as the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to avoid aggressively recovering debts from domestic airlines or risk causing their collapse.
AON Chairman, Capt. Nogie Meggison, warned that the current economic downturn in Nigeria would cripple any airline that was expected to pay the already cancelled debts.
“We strongly decry the ongoing action by the various government agencies, whereby they threaten to deny airlines services for their operations or completely ground them as this is likely to force airlines out of business,” he said “Due to the economic hard times of today, airlines have become a soft target and are seen as a cash cow for everyone else to prey on easily. However, the agencies need to realise that air transport is the engine of the economy. Hence, if they disturb Nigerian airlines then they will damage the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to restore the economy.”