The Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI/ART) hereby registers dismay at the arbitrary increment of fees and charges by Aviation Handling Companies.

We strongly condemn this imposition of outrageously high handling fees coming at a time the ART and other stakeholders are advocating government’s intervention and deliberate policies to reduce  airlines’ operating  cost with a view to obtaining a downward review of the cost of  air tickets and the survival of Nigerian airlines.

The  purported astronomical increase negates the spirit of taming inflation in the aviation sector and it is capable of further reducing the volume of the patronage by the traveling public and can compromise safety in the sector.

In a press release signed by it publicity secretary,Mr.Albinus Chiedu, ART  urges an immediate reversal of the increment and a conciliatory tripartite  meeting of the handling companies, the airlines and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)  during which  acceptable charges will be attained.