Air Peace, Max Air, Others Hike Airfares amid Ticket Racketeering, Fewer Aircraft

• Air passengers are facing the challenges of touts in Nigeria’s airports who are responsible for high fares
• The development has led to airlines now selling a one-way ticket from Lagos to Abuja for N250,000
• Stakeholders say the problem has been worsened as fewer aircraft now fly more passengers across the country

Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.

Air passengers in Nigeria lament the takeover of Nigeria’s airports by touts, who say they are responsible for the high cost of air tickets in Nigeria.

The development is despite passengers paying as high as N250,000 for a one-hour flight from Lagos to Abuja.

Stakeholders blame racketeering for fare increases

Aviation stakeholders have blamed the problem on ticket racketeers and the reduction in the fleet of local airlines operating in the country, leading to a hike in ticket prices and racketeering among airline staffers.

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Findings show that the reduction in airlines’ fleets was because of an increase in the number of grounded aircraft owned by different local airlines due to exchange rate volatility and Dana Air’s suspension by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Aviation experts say the number of air passengers has remained the same, if not more, in the last year, while airline seats have decreased due to industry issues.

Leadership reports that the development has shrunk the number of serviceable aircraft in Nigeria, leading to ticket racketeering as fewer seats become available for thousands of air passengers nationwide.

According to reports, the Lagos-Abuja route has witnessed more passenger traffic than other routes, with airlines charging as high as N250,000 for a 45-minute, one-way economy flight.

Fewer aircraft now available for passengers

About 13 domestic airliners operated about 91 aircraft in the last year, but the number has now halved due to regulators' suspensions and maintenance checks abroad, putting pressure on the few available aircraft.

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Checks show that the airlines still in operation in Nigeria’s airports include Aero Contractor, Air Peace, Arik Air, Azman, Dana Air, Green Africa, Ibom Air, Max Air, NG Eagle, Overland, Rano Air, United Nigeria Airline, and Valuejet.

However, with six aircraft, Dana Air was grounded by the NCAA on the orders of the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, after its plane overshot the runway.

Aviation expert Adewale Ogunleye blamed the situation on the attitude of aviation regulators. 

Experts caution NCAA on Airport Task Force

Ogunleye said the regulators believe they always have bigger things to do than checking the activities of touts in the airport.

He commended the recently established task force in the airports to check the activities of touts. Still, he cautioned that they may fall into the same corruption trap if not adequately monitored.

“I know and commend the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority on setting up the task force, but who will monitor them? As recently as last, week I was approached in one of the airports in Nigeria by touts. This means the task force’s presence is either missing or has not been felt,” he said.

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Dangote crashes aviation fuel

This development comes as airline operators have acknowledged the reduction in the price of aviation fuel, which they say could lead to fare reductions.

The development came as the Dangote refinery began production of aviation fuel, also known as JetA1, Legit.ng reported.

Also, the EU confirmed on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, that the Nigerian government has cleared an outstanding $850 million debt owed to European airlines. 

Foreign airlines crash airfare below Air Peace price

Legit.ng previously reported that there was intense competition on the popular Lagos-London route when Nigerian airline Air Peace started plying a few months ago.

Foreign airlines operating the Lagos-London route crashed their ticket prices below the rates charged by Air Peace, the only Nigerian airline operating the route.

An earlier report by Legit.ng showed that foreign airlines had significantly reduced their fares on the Lagos-London route since Air Peace began operating it on March 30, 2024.

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Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng