The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has warned airlines operating in the country, especially foreign carriers, to immediately stop the sale of air tickets in the United States dollars and other foreign currencies.

The agency said it has issued notes of warning to the affected airlines and their actions have been declared a violation of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s regulations guiding the cost of production and services in the country.

There were reports that some foreign carriers, since April this year, have been demanding payment for flight tickets only in dollars due to scarcity of foreign exchange in Nigeria.

But the NCAA, through its spokesman, Sam Adurogboye, stated that a situation where foreign airlines operating in the country were declining payments in Naira and insisting on the dollar, was disturbing.

“This act is considered insensitive to passengers who have chosen the airlines for their travels,” Adurogboye stated.

He quoted a CBN circular issued on April 17, 2015 directing that pricing of any product would continue to be in naira only, adding that it was illegal to price or denominate the cost of any product or service, visible or invisible, in any foreign currency.

The NCAA further stated that the action of the international carriers contravened the provisions of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between Nigeria and other countries as contained in Article 8 (4).

It stated that the agency had written warning letters to errant airlines to immediately comply with the provisions of the BASA and the CBN directive, adding that tickets and services should henceforth be offered to air travellers in naira without further delay.

The NCAA, however, assured the airlines that the Federal Government had taken measures to ameliorate the subsisting foreign exchange issues.