The year 2023, will be etched in the memories of air travelers as a time when reuniting with loved ones during the festive season came at an exorbitant cost.
The soaring airfares, both locally and internationally, turned what should have been a season of joy into one marked by financial strain.
The treacherous state of roads, plagued by insecurity, left many with no option but to turn to air travel despite the staggering prices.
Passengers faced one-way fares reaching as high as N200,000 and return flights soaring up to N600,000, depending on the chosen routes.
Even airlines, previously known for lowering fares to attract more passengers, succumbed to the trend, citing the need to recover lost revenue.
Airports became a battleground of disgruntled faces and murmurs as passengers grappled with the burden of escalating costs.
The anticipation of joyous family reunions became entangled with the harsh reality of financial strain.
Airlines, grappling with the blame game, pointed fingers at the challenging operating environment.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) attributed high fares to issues like the scarcity and high interest rates of dollars, the cost of aviation fuel (JET A1), government taxes, charges, and the maintenance costs of aircraft.
Amidst accusations of price extortion, one airline defended its automated fare system, claiming that as demand increased on popular routes, fares automatically rose.
The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) added that the law of supply and demand played a role, with fares adjusting based on passenger interest.
Foreign airlines took a different route, removing lower inventories and accepting only dollars for lower fare tickets, creating a situation where passengers paid exorbitant amounts in naira for economy class tickets.
As the International Air Transport Association (IATA) labeled Lagos and Abuja International airports as the world’s most expensive to operate in, airlines faced a breaking point.
The FCCPC announced plans to investigate the “outrageous airfares,” seen as a potential Christmas and New Year gift to travel agents grappling with the fallout.
However, the FCCPC acknowledged the complexity of forensic studies in airfare pricing, emphasizing the need for evidence before regulatory action.
As Nigerians and foreign visitors navigate these turbulent skies of high airfares, calls for a reevaluation of air travel pricing policies persist, urging a balance between economic realities and the fundamental need for safe and accessible travel.
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