The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said on Thursday that it has resolved operational challenges that were hindering the operations of e-hailing services by Bolt at airports it manages and granted the ride-hailing business approval to start operations with immediate effect. GeographicReference_
FAAN said the decision was taken after what it described as positive conversations with Bolt which ended a period of inconvenience for customers who were affected by the temporary cessation of e-hailing services in various airports.
The Authority, through its Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, in a statement, apologised to members of the travelling public for the challenges encountered in its efforts to put in place what it described as an agreeable and sustainable operational framework for e-hailing services within airport environments.
FAAN stated that it was grateful for the patience and understanding of the passengers, adding that the disruption was due to regulatory, safety and security issues.
“The Authority is therefore pleased to inform that following constructive engagement, FAAN and Bolt have reached an operational framework that is mutually acceptable to both parties and Bolt can now commence its services at FAAN managed airports with immediate effect,” the statement stated.
This follows the public outcry over limits on e-hailing operations at airports, with many passengers complaining about the rising cost of transportation and that they do not have cheaper ride-hailing options.
FAAN said it had been having problems with the operations of commercial and e-hailing vehicles within the airport premises for around 10 years.
The Authority said among the problems include increased incidences of passenger solicitation and touting, unregulated activities, arbitrary pick-ups and concerns relating to safety, security and accountability.
Some of the challenges were aggravated by drivers working on more than one ride-hailing platform and so the FAAN had to improve the supervision and monitoring of commercial transportation in airports.
To tackle the challenges, FAAN has introduced the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) which it described as a queue management and airport transportation management system designed to bring more structure, visibility and accountability to the operations of authorised airport car-hire services.
However, the Authority rejected accusations that ACHRAMS was formed to compete with established e-hailing companies such as Bolt and Uber.
“ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing application and never intended to be a competitor to Uber, Bolt or any other mobility platform,” FAAN said. Its function is confined to the management of airport car-hire ranks and related approved operations.
FAAN, meanwhile, maintained that it was not against competition, and that it had no purpose to create or promote any monopoly in the airport transportation.
The Authority also addressed public concerns concerning airport taxi fees, explaining that the rates that provoked controversy were not newly established by FAAN or formed by ACHRAMS.
The statement said airport taxi fees had been left out of the system and the rates were not much different from what had been in effect before.
“ACHRAMS only provides more transparency and visibility on existing airport taxi fares, so that the cost was more visible to passengers,” FAAN added.
But the Authority said that the general reduced costs offered by e-hailing companies as compared to airport taxi charges had raised public concern.
“However, FAAN recognises that the comparison with the lower fares passengers had got used to via e-hailing platforms understandably heightened public concerns,” the Authority noted.
The airport operator said it understands and truly appreciates the concerns travellers have raised about the higher cost and inconvenience caused during the brief e-hailing service outage.
“We apologise to our passengers for the inconveniences this caused,” FAAN added.
“Although the Authority’s actions were not economically motivated but rather were regulatory, safety and security related, FAAN accepts that the immediate effect on passengers was substantial. We listened, we thought and we made the changes that were necessary.”
“The agreement with Bolt shows that airport authorities can ensure security, order and accountability within airport environments without taking away the convenience and freedom of choice offered by e-hailing services from passengers,” FAAN stated.
“The resolution shows that the airport environment can be kept secure and safe, while at the same time preserving the convenience and freedom of choice which e-hailing services provide to passengers,” the statement said.
The Authority said it was in talks with other e-hailing operators and was confident that outstanding issues will be resolved in the coming days.
FAAN emphasised that customers were free to pick among the available permitted transportation choices, noting that its role was to guarantee that such services operated within a safe, secure, orderly and accountable airport environment.
The Authority said its decisions would continue to be driven by the safety, security, convenience and overall airport experience of travellers.
FAAN equally appreciated the members of the travelling public for their patience throughout the period of disruption and promised to continue to work toward a sustainable framework that accommodates both airport security requirements and the growing demand for efficient e-hailing services.
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