Air travelers on selected routes in the country are expressing dissatisfaction with the soaring airfares imposed by indigenous airline operators.
Investigations reveal that airfares on monopolized routes have surged to over N250,000 for a one-way trip in economy class, with return tickets reaching approximately N500,000.
In contrast to historical trends where high airfares were primarily associated with routes originating from Lagos to southern destinations, recent checks indicate that passengers traveling from Abuja to these same routes may now encounter higher costs.
The escalation in travel costs is particularly pronounced in the southern regions, specifically the South East and South-South, surpassing those on northern routes such as Abuja, Kano, and Kaduna.
Stakeholders attribute the spike in airfares in the southern routes to the festive season, while others caution that sustained high prices may lead airlines to price themselves out of the market.
Concerns are growing that elevated airfares could deter travelers from choosing Southern routes for the yuletide season.
Notably, Air Peace’s fares from Lagos to Enugu on December 26 start at a minimum of N203,000 for one way and N233,000 for the afternoon flight. Similarly, one-way tickets to Owerri on Dana Air range from N200,000 to N250,000.
Ibom Air offers flights to Uyo between December 22 and 23, with one-way tickets priced between N203,000 and N253,000. United Nigeria Airlines charges N220,000 to N300,000 for one-way tickets from December 21 to 23.
Aviation experts assert that the recent surge in airfares by indigenous airlines on domestic routes is exploitative and poses a risk to the sustainability of these carriers.
