Confusion at Lagos airport over new luggage charges

Confusion reigned at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos yesterday over a new policy introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) which charges passengers on luggage brought into the country that could pass for cargoes.

     Over a hundred passengers who arrived aboard Emirates Airlines could not get their luggages, just as some of them claimed that they only had their travelling bags with them and not cargoes.

FAAN in its new policy  was alleged to have imposed certain levies on cargoes that come through the terminal.

One  passenger who spoke under the condition of anonymity lamented that all plea from them that their baggage could not have qualified for cargoes fell on deaf ears, forcing some of them to rush to the airside in search of their baggage.

 “We arrived from Dubai at about 11am today (yesterday). As I speak with you (which was 3.30pm) over 150 of us are yet to see our baggage. We learnt that they arrived but the airport authorities are withholding them, claiming we need to pay duties on them.

He noted that at a stage, the baggage area of the airport became rowdy and chaotic, which he alleged threatened the security of the area.

In a swift reaction, the FAAN denied that it charges travelers N2,000 per luggage on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Spokesman for the agency, Yakubu Dati said the charge does not apply to all passengers but only cargo agents, who use passenger planes to transport their cargoes – often times 20 to 30 pieces of luggage unaccompanied or accompanied by proxies.

 According to him, “The fraudulent practice puts untold pressure on the conveyor belts and short-changes the agency.”

He added that cargo agents were well aware that all cargoes must go through designated terminal for safety and security procedures.

 Dati further explained that the charge had always been in FAAN’s books but was ceded to a concessionaire, Pan Express Limited, but now FAAN has decided to collect the charges and there is no need mixing it up with luggage.