Despite the skyrocketing hike in the price of aviation fuel, domestic airlines are yet to increase their fares.
Information gathered has however indicated that the airlines are scared of new airfare increases which they said may scare passengers from air travel.
Presently, a litter of the commodity which had in January this year sold for N200 now sells for N815.
To survive the fuel price increase the airlines had earlier increased their fares by 50 per cent or more with a one-hour flight that hitherto attracted between N18,000.and N25,000 rising to between N50,000.and N100,000.depending on the airline and the aircraft type.
Contrary to the fears raised by stakeholders with the fare increase that passengers’ traffic on the domestic routes may drop drastically, Tribune Online has however gathered that the situation has not in any way reduced the number of passengers as some of the airlines spoken to have confirmed that the situation has not affected their passengers’ traffic.
According to the spokesperson of one of the airlines who spoke under the condition of anonymity: “Yes, the increase in the price of Jet A1 has greatly affected our operations. Nevertheless, we are still enjoying our normal traffic figure. Our passengers are still coming.”
When asked if travellers should expect another fare increase to be commensurate with the new rise in the price of the commodity, he only said time will tell.
Speaking to the spokesperson of Dana Air, Mr Kingsley Ezenwa, he said though the increase in the price of aviation fuel was already telling on the cost of airlines’ operations, he however said Dana Air in particular did not have the intention of passing the buck to passengers.
According to him, increasing fares at this point in time will only scare passengers away.
He, however, appealed to the government to urgently intervene in the unbearable situation which he said has impacted negatively on domestic airline operations.
Presently, while most of the carriers charge N50,000 for a one-hour flight, it has been gathered that Green Africa Airways is charging the cheapest fares with its own one-hour flight attracting N40,000.as against the N50,000 being charged for the economy class.
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No plans by airlines… No plans by airlines… No plans by airlines…
and then