Domestic Airlines Increase Flight Tickets by 100% Days After Trading Words With NASS on Increasing Delays
- Nigerian airlines have raised their ticket prices days after the National Assembly chastised them for flight delays and arbitrary delays and cancellations
- Intended travellers have turned to social media to voice their dissatisfaction and unhappiness that regular Nigerians are constantly forced to suffer
- The change in ticket prices is also related to the increased cost of aviation fuel which is now sold for over N400 per litre
Airfares across Nigeria have increased by as much as 100%, a check on airlines website and reports from the Sun Newspaper.
Ticket fares to cities like Port Harcourt, Ilorin, and northern states like Kebbi, Borno, Adamawa and Kano have increased by as much as 100%.
Some Nigerians have also taken to social media to express their pains and call for relief amid the rising cost of living.
Source: Facebook
According to SunNews, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has raised the price of economy class aircraft tickets to 50,000 nairas.
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It said the increase was reached at a meeting of the operators in Lagos on Saturday, where the operators cited the high cost of jet A1 fuel, currency scarcity, double-digit inflation, increases in ground handling charges, and the cost of buying and importing spare parts as justifications for the increase.
The rise went into effect immediately, with price increases visible on several airlines' websites.
Ticket prices
Tickets from Lagos to Abuja in economy class, which used to cost between N29,000 and N35, 000, are now N50, 000, according to SunNews.
On the websites of Dana Air, United Nigeria, Azman Air, Air Peace, and Max Air, economy tickets from Lagos to Abuja start at N50,000. Aero Contractors, which used to cost N26,000, now costs N48,365, while Arik Air costs N48,500. Ibom Air costs N53,00.
Green Africa, on the other hand, used to retail for N20,000 but is currently selling for N39, 000 (excluding luggage fees).
Flights delay airlines
At the meeting also the union challenged the National Assembly inquiry on the number of flight delays announced in 2021, Nairametrics reports.
Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa, president of AON, stated that the politicians' statements merely served to intensify feelings and send the incorrect message to the general people.
The Chairmen of the Aviation Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, Sen. Smart Adeyemi and Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, have indicated that if local carriers fail to reduce flight delays and cancellations, international airlines would be invited to operate domestic flights.
In his response, Yunusa also stated that it is not in the best interests of any airline, whether in Nigeria or elsewhere, to postpone or cancel flights since it has significant financial and image ramifications.
He said:
"Delays and cancellations are thus the last thing any airline wants for these reasons. While flight delays and cancellations occur all around the world, it is worth noting that in Nigeria, 80 percent of delays and cancellations are due to or caused by causes outside the control of airlines.
"As a result, AON wishes to make the general public aware that airlines in Nigeria operate in an environment plagued by infrastructure defects that are highly disruptive to regular schedule reliability and on-time performance."
Nigerians react
Some Nigerians have taken to social media to react to the news that a returning flight ticket is now over N100,000
Ahmad Musa reacted:
"Na by force to enter plane, abeggy"
Also, Uwem Archibong said:
To travel by flights, is it everlasting life???
Nigerian man in the US shares reasons American embassy denies people student visas
In another related report, a Nigerian man who is currently residing in the United States has made some revelations as to why most of his fellow countrymen seeking academic opportunities in the states are not granted students visa.
In a series of tweets he made with his Twitter handle @MisterNigerD, he said the key to scaling through the visa application hurdle is not giving the consular at the embassy any reason to believe that you will be staying back in the US after your studies.
@MisterNigerD stated that another huge pitfall to avoid is to say that you would be getting a job when your school is on holiday in the state. This, according to him, will get your visa application denied.
Source: Legit.ng
