Airfare across the country has crashed making air travel affordable to middle class after it went beyond their reach during the yuletide season.
LEADERSHIP had reported in December that airfare had gone up across the major airlines as majority of the airlines seat were sold off as at November making passengers pay more for few available tickets.
It was also gathered that airfare for one way ticket in the last quarter of 2021 across the country was between N68,000 to N120,090 depending on the class and region.
The airfare went up astronomically along the South-East route while it was a little bit moderate on the South-South, North-West and North- East routes.
However, LEADERSHIP visit to the website of Airpeace, Dana Air, United Nigeria and Arik air yesterday had shown reduction in air fare.
A return ticket from Lagos to Enugu on Arik air as at yesterday cost N79,200 as against N110,000 during the yuletide period.
Ticket fare on United Airlines, Air Peace, Dana Air among others have gone down drastically as well that return ticket hover between N54,000 to N80,000 depending on the class, time and airline.
Also, to attract passengers during these time, Dana Air had introduced flash fare of N23,400 saying they are strictly for customers travelling from Lagos to Owerri and Enugu.
Dana Air with daily flights from Lagos to Enugu, Owerri and others said they introduced a flash fare of N23,400 for customers travelling from Lagos to Owerri and Enugu advised customers to plan their trips early, and visit the airline’s website to get the fare.
Speaking on the development, a former commandant of the Lagos Airport, Capt John Ojikutu (rtd), said many who travelled by air during the yuletide may have travelled back through the road despite the low fare.
He also disclosed that airlines charges during the yuletide period were unrealistic as they may not have fund to return by air.
“Many were eager and had sufficient money to travel during the Christmas but not many have such eagerness or funds left to return by air. The high air fare that many airlines were charging too at the advent of the Christmas were not realistic.”
“I wish we had the figures of those that travelled by air and those that returned by air as against those that travelled by road transport. Am sure many of those that went by air would have returned by road to their businesses in spite of the low fare. It is possible that many are still hanging around in their towns and villages waiting for the air fare coming down lower,” Ojikutu, secretary general, Aviation Round Table Initiative (ARTI) said.
Also speaking, president, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria (AOPAN), Alexander Nwuba, said people are done with yuletide traveling hence needs to reduce fare to attract passengers.
Nwuba said, “December is a holiday season where people reunite with families coming from everywhere. The basic law of economics says that once demand rises, particularly if supply cannot meet up, in this case the availability of seats, prices will rise. Now, people are done with that movement and airlines increased capacity to meet with the demand, the reverse is happening, supply exceeds demand so airlines are trying to get people on seats so they are reducing fares to attract the available customers.”
However, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has urged air travellers and other stakeholders not to be jittery as the regulatory authority is keeping eagle eye on the operator.
Speaking the director General, Capt. Musa Nuhu said, “it is our responsibility to ensure they comply with all our standards and regulations and I don’t think any business will intentionally under cut themselves to the point they will not break even.”
He further explained why it will be foolhardy to resort to low fares to the detriment of the airline’s financials saying; “let’s understand, this people have invested millions of dollars in their business, to me, it will be fool hardy to shoot yourself on the leg by cutting your airfares to the point that you are no longer profitable or couldn’t break even so, it is the airline that can decide and knows the internal workings, efficiencies and deficiencies that can really determine and explain the reduction in airfares.”
