The Federal Government has cautioned airlines operating in Nigeria against the sale of flight tickets in foreign currency.
There have been reports of some airlines demanding ticket payments in foreign currencies in view of the naira’s downward trend.
But addressing journalists after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said the act violates Nigerian laws.
Sirika noted that the National Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has been directed to penalise any airline that flouts the law.
“I want to use this opportunity to say that reports are reaching us that some of the airlines are refusing to sell tickets in naira,” Sirika began. “That is a violation of our local laws, they will not be allowed. The high and the mighty amongst them will be sanctioned if they’re caught doing that.
“NCAA had been directed to swing into action and once we find any airline violating this, we will definitely deal with them because we need to protect our people. It is according to our agreements, to what we have signed, and this is according to international convention,” he added.
Meanwhile, airline operators have continued to groan over the scarcity of aviation fuel.
