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- Nigeria’s largest carrier, Air Peace, has reportedly increased its airfares on the Lagos to Abuja route
- The airline increased the fare to N200,000 for a one-way flight amid passenger protests
- Experts believe that the challenging economic climate has hit the aviation industry hard, necessitating an increase
Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.
Beginning November 1, 2024, a one-way flight from Lagos to Abuja aboard Air Peace will hit N200,000.
Experts have said the harsh economy is hitting the aviation industry hard, causing airlines to hike fares amid passenger protests.
Source: UGC
Airfares across Nigerian airlines
The development has forced some Nigerians to choose alternative means of transport, preferring road travel.
Findings show that Air Peace’s airfares on Monday, October 21, 2022, raised fares to N200,000 from November, the highest among local airlines.
While Air Peace charges N200,000 and above on its site for a one-way trip from Lagos to Abuja, Aero charges N94,000 to over N109,000; Arik Air charges between N104,405 and N139,292, and Ibom Air ranges between N124,000 and over N133,000.
Punch reports that the hike in fares has left many passengers stranded at airports as they could not secure flights to their destinations.
Passengers protest hike in fares
Nigeria’s busiest routes, Lagos to Abuja and Abuja-Lagos, are most affected, as many passengers find it challenging to secure seats.
Ishaya Ibrahim, a journalist attending an event organised by the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Abuja, told Legit.ng that he could not fly to the nation’s capital for the event due to high fares.
“When you look at the high airfares, flying does not make sense. Those who flew to the event booked their flights months back.A return flight ticket on an average Nigerian airline costs over N200,000. How can businesses and people survive?”Air Peace is yet to respond to comments about its impending fare increases.
FG challenges the UK government on Air Peace slots
The development comes after Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo officially complained in writing to his British counterpart about the British authorities' denial of Air Peace's request to use Heathrow Airport.
Due to the slot system, Air Peace, Nigeria's flag carrier, operates flights to Gatwick, a secondary airport.
In a letter dated August 1, 2024, addressed to Louise Haigh, the UK secretary of state for transportation, Keyamo threatened to "reciprocate" by denying British Airways and Virgin Atlantic slots at the Lagos and Abuja airports if Air Peace was not given a space at London Heathrow.
The fight for Heathrow slots
Air Peace has not successfully obtained a slot at Heathrow, which is closer to the centre of London.
A few weeks prior, the Minister had declared that the Federal Government would write to the United Kingdom to request permission to operate Nigerian carriers, specifically Air Peace, out of Heathrow Airport.
Following the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), the Minister stated at the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) seminar in Lagos that Nigeria would no longer tolerate a situation in which its airlines are denied access to tier-one airports abroad.
Airlines to suspend Flights, Reasons Emerge
Legit.ng earlier reported that Air passengers in Nigeria may have trouble boarding their preferred airlines as aviation workers have threatened to commence a nationwide strike.
The aviation unions directed all workers to protest across all airports in Nigeria to demand an end to the federal government’s 50% deductions from the internally generated revenue of critical aviation agencies.
The unions said this in a statement on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, signed by Ocheme Aba, Frances Akinjole, Abdul Rasaq, Sikiru Waheed, and Olayinka Abioye.
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Source: Legit.ng
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