The managing director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, over the weekend, said the deliberate transformations ongoing at the nation’s airports are geared towards enhancing passengers’ experience and creating a positive image for Nigeria.
Kuku disclosed this when members of the executive Council of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), led by Yinka Folami, paid a courtesy visit to the FAAN boss.
According to Kuku, the key transformation consists of the zero tolerance against activities inimical to passengers safety, particularly harassment of passengers and touting within and around airports vicinities.
She commended NANTA’s strategic advocacy for fair play in the aviation sector, promising to collaborate with registered travel trade professionals who are members of NANTA.
“We are willing to work with your association to address the concerns you have raised and also strengthen the bond of partnership between FAAN and NANTA for a better and secured environment for all stakeholders in the airport community “ Mrs Kuku further explained.
On the request for a space for a dedicated NANTA Help Desk at the airports across the country for travellers awareness and information sharing, Mrs Kuku stated that the request is critical to impacting the ongoing transformation at the airport and urged NANTA to submit names of its members who shall work closely with the FAAN protocol unit.
“We welcome your ideas and collaboration which will improve the quality of passenger service, provide accurate travel information, ambush misinformation and also help to identify and eliminate touting at the airports, Kuku added, further directing the NANTA leadership to engage FAAN Director of Special Duties and the Public Relations Department to immediately work modalities for collaboration.
“We are working hard to streamline airport transfer services and enhance traveller convenience. We acknowledge certain challenges such as ticket racketeering, especially at the domestic wing and loitering of unauthorised persons around airport premises. There’s also the collusion between some airline staff and ticket rocketeers, which fuels the unauthorised sale of tickets of no-show passengers under different names. All these we intend to tackle in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),” FAAN boss informed.
Speaking earlier, NANTA president, Yinka Folami, commended the transformation of the airports under Kuku and requested for strategic partnership and collaboration with FAAN to enthrone a system clean up, eliminate touting, and enthrone seamless passenger transfer services.
“We at NANTA are impressed with your work ethics and particularly on the transformation of our airports, which is an added premium value to marketing Nigeria to the world. In this regard to help passengers access information, we request for a NANTA dedicated pavilion at our airports across the country.
“We are also concerned about touting by unauthorised persons around airports vicinities and wish to see airlines mandated to establish proper queue lines to help improve orderliness at check-in counters” NANTA President noted.
Folami also sought a plank for continuous engagement to enhance inbound and outbound traveller experience and satisfaction when accessing Nigerian airports.
