Aviation Expert Defends FCCPC's Authority in Airline Fare Investigation
Aviation industry consultant Chris Aligbe has strongly defended the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) against criticisms regarding its investigation into alleged price-fixing by domestic airlines. Aligbe, who serves as Managing Director of Belujane Konzult, dismissed those questioning the commission's role as ignorant of legal provisions governing competition and consumer protection in Nigeria.
Legal Mandate and Sector Jurisdiction
Speaking exclusively to The Guardian in Lagos, Aligbe clarified that while the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) functions as the sector-specific aviation regulator, the FCCPC operates as an overarching competition authority with jurisdiction across all economic sectors. He emphasized that the FCCPC was established by an Act of the National Assembly specifically to address anti-competitive practices throughout the Nigerian economy.
"The FCCPC has clear legal authority to investigate anti-competition cases in any industry, including aviation," Aligbe stated. "This authority has been reinforced through endorsements from top judicial authorities, including the Chief Justice of Nigeria."
Addressing Aviation Expertise Concerns
Responding to claims that the FCCPC lacks aviation-specific expertise, Aligbe described such arguments as completely baseless. He noted that key figures who helped shape aviation economic regulations, including former FCCPC CEO Babatunde Irukera, played significant roles in drafting the commission's establishing legislation, ensuring continuity of institutional knowledge.
The aviation expert insisted that the FCCPC acted entirely within its legal mandate when investigating the sharp increase in domestic airfares during the December high season. According to Aligbe, airlines failed to provide convincing justifications for the fare hikes, such as:
- Substantial increases in Jet A1 fuel costs
- New taxation burdens
- Other legitimate operational cost escalations
Allegations of Passenger Exploitation
Aligbe leveled serious accusations against domestic airlines, claiming they systematically exploit passengers during peak travel periods through manipulative booking practices. He alleged that carriers intentionally restrict early bookings and create artificial demand pressure by delaying the opening of booking portals.
"Airlines deliberately force last-minute purchases at highly inflated fares," Aligbe asserted. "This represents clear exploitation of travelers who have limited alternatives during peak seasons."
The aviation consultant dismissed airline claims that aircraft unavailability caused delays in opening booking portals for future dates. He argued that proper operational planning should ensure fleet readiness well ahead of anticipated high-demand periods, making such explanations unconvincing.
Industry Response and FCCPC Actions
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had previously disagreed with the FCCPC's interim report on price-fixing allegations, arguing that the commission lacked understanding of airline economics and that its findings threatened the survival of domestic carriers. Despite this opposition, the FCCPC proceeded to indict five unnamed indigenous airlines for anti-competitive practices and vowed to impose sanctions according to Nigerian law.
The commission has also announced plans to engage forensic experts to thoroughly investigate the alleged price-fixing practices during the period under review. This move signals the FCCPC's commitment to pursuing the matter through detailed technical analysis rather than relying solely on preliminary findings.
Aligbe's strong support for the FCCPC's actions highlights growing concerns about consumer protection in Nigeria's aviation sector, particularly regarding pricing transparency and fair competition practices during high-demand travel periods.
