FAAN launches operation to curb airport touting
FAAN has partnered with SERVICOM to launch “Operation Air Clean,” targeting unauthorised touting and extortion at international airport terminals.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria teamed up with SERVICOM to launch “Operation Air Clean,” targeting unauthorised touting and extortion at international airport terminals. The operation aims to rid the airports of touts who harass passengers and extort money from them.
Touting has long been a problem at Nigerian airports, with touts posing as porters, travel agents or immigration officials to scam passengers. The operation is a welcome development that could improve the passenger experience and enhance Nigeria’s image as a travel destination.
This echoes the 2019 crackdown on airport touts in Lagos, which also sought to improve passenger experience. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a focus on improving airport services.
The winners: passengers, who will have a better airport experience; and the Nigerian government, which gains from improved airport security. The losers: touts, who face enforcement; and the Nigerian public, who must hope the operation is sustained.
Bottom Line: FAAN is cracking down on airport touts. The operation is a welcome step. The question is whether the enforcement will be sustained or the touts will return.