25th October, 2010
The activities of touts at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos (MMA) has become a source of concern to airport users, a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) check has revealed.
NAN reports that touting has become prevalent in and around the terminal building of the domestic and international wings of the airport, with many touts seen in the uniforms of some airlines.
The touts often accost passengers offering to purchase tickets for them at a fee.
Some passengers alleged that some touts conspire with airline staff to extort money from them.
“In most cases, the touts will inform you that flights are fully booked whereas it is a ploy to rip you off,’’ said a Port Harcourt-bound passenger, Ime Utibe, on Sunday.
Another passenger, Adio Adelani, claimed he was made to pay N2,000 to a tout to enable him buy a flight ticket of N18,000.
“ I got to the General Aviation Terminal to catch a flight to Abuja, but was told at one of the counters that the flight was fully booked.
“As I was leaving the counter, a young man accosted me, claiming to be working for one of the airlines and that he will assist to get a seat, only if I will pay the extra amount which I obliged.”
“But surprisingly, few minutes later he returned with a ticket from the same counter where I was told the flight was fully booked,’’ the passenger said.
Comfort Abang, an Enugu-bound passenger, said there was touting at the Abuja airport, pointing out that many passengers had lost their baggage to touts helping them to check in.
A tout, who gave his name as Abby, told NAN that he usually bought tickets at the normal fare behind counters and share the profit with ticketing officers.
Chief Operating Officer, MMA 2, Mr. Jerome Marinho, said that some of those classified as touts were usually seen with on duty cards issued by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
“We held series of meetings with the airlines and other stakeholders operating within the terminal building on the activities of touts around the airport,’’ Marinho said.
Marinho disclosed that members of staff of airlines whose operations had been grounded were often seen with airlines’ identity cards attending to passengers.
Marinho said that those involved in touting included retired as well as retrenched workers of airport agencies, airlines and security operatives.