Airline operators to shut down operations from Monday, May 9, as cost of aviation fuel hits N700 per litre

Nigeria’s airlines under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have announced their plans to shut down flight operations over what they called astronomical hike in the price of aviation fuel.

In a statement issued by the operators on Friday evening, AON lamented how its members have “carried on deploying and subsidising their services to our highly esteemed Nigerian flying public in the last four months despite the steady and astronomical hike in the price of JetA1 and other operating costs.

“Overtime, aviation fuel price (JetA1) has risen from N190 per litre to N700 currently. No airline in the world can absorb this kind of sudden shock from such an astronomical rise over a short period. While aviation fuel worldwide is said to cost about 40 per cent of an airline’s operating cost globally, the present hike has shut up Nigeria’s operating cost to about 95 per cent.

“In the face of this, airlines have engaged the Federal Government, the National Assembly, NNPC and oil marketers with the view to bringing the cost of JetA1 down which has currently made the unit cost per seat for a one hour flight in Nigeria today to an average of N120,000. The latter cannot be fully passed to passengers who are already experiencing a lot of difficulties.’’

While AON said it appreciated the efforts of the current government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure air transport in Nigeria grows, “unfortunately, the cost of aviation fuel has continued to rise unabated thereby creating huge pressure on the sustainability of operations and financial viability of the airlines.

“This is unsustainable and the airlines can no longer absorb the pressure.’’

To this end therefore, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) informed intending passengers that member airlines will discontinue operations nationwide with effect from Monday, May 9, 2022 until further notice.

The statement, which was signed by the president of AON, Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina and eight other operators, was sent to the minister of aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.