Keyamo Finally Explains Reason Air Peace, Max Air, Other Airlines Charge High Airfares

• The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has pinpointed the reason for high airfares in Nigeria
• The minister said airline operators in the country currently face aircraft shortage, resulting in poor service and higher fares
• He said the government will work with the airliners to slash the cost of air travel in Nigeria

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

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Management Development, Festus Keyamo, promised a ticket fares reduction soon.

The minister stressed that local carriers are short of aircraft to service the growing demand for air travel, resulting in fare hikes.

Keyamo promises a slash in airfares

Keyamo stressed that local carriers' financial challenges have impacted them negatively as they have scaled down their operations.

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According to the minister, poor services have increased, with many passengers bearing the high cost of ticket prices.

Reports say the Lagos-Abuja route has an average fare of N120,000 per passenger for an hour flight, translating to about $83 per passenger at the current foreign exchange rate.

Keyamo assured Nigerians during his address at the 28th League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents Conference in Lagos that the government would work with operators to slash airfares.

The minister said local airlines face challenges such as lack of access to aircraft, maintenance, repair facilities, and access to Forex.

He said:

“The major problem we are facing now is a shortage of aircraft in Nigeria to service routes. The local operators are struggling to cover their routes even locally, not to mention our international routes.

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"Lufthansa is coming here. We are not going to Frankfurt. We only recently managed to get the London route for Air Peace, and we are also pushing for them to take us to Heathrow."

FG grounds Arik Air

Keyamo’s statement comes as the Nigerian government grounded the entire fleet of Arik Air over a court order.

Experts say the move will cause further hikes in airlines' airfares as they struggle to onboard Arik Air’s passengers.

Also, Keyamo announced that the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) had suspended the proposed navigational charges.

He said the government is sensitive to the plight of passengers and the harsh economic reality in Nigeria.

Airlines choose lucrative routes, hike fares

Legit.ng previously reported that Nigerian airlines prioritize flights to airports with more passenger traffic than others as aircraft shortages linger.

Due to poor or lack of maintenance, the aircraft shortage is worsened by the high maintenance costs and grounding of others by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

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FG speaks on slashing airfare from N120,000 to new price

On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, grounded the entire fleet of Arik Air over a court order, further worsening passengers’ woes.

Source: Legit.ng