Airfares hike: NCAA tackles Air Peace boss, rejects tax claim

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The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has dismissed claims that domestic airfares are inflated due to multiple taxes, insisting that airlines do not pay the alleged levies and attributing fare increases to normal market forces of demand and supply.

Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection Michael Achimugu, in a statement on X on Sunday, stated that repeated allegations of excessive taxes by the government on domestic flights are unfounded.

Resharing a past interview, Achimugu said: “Any domestic carrier operating domestic flights that says that they are paying 18 taxes is a liar. No domestic carrier pays 18 taxes for domestic flights.

“We understand the high air fares this period are down to market forces—demand and supply. Let us assume there are 18 taxes, where those taxes increased recently, so why is it different in December?” Punch