Some passengers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja have condemned the increase in airfare during the yuletide.
The passengers made this known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday, December 24, 2022, in Abuja.
They said that it was just necessary for them to travel by air to celebrate Christmas with relatives as travelling by air i”s fast and safe”.
A passenger, Mr Kayode Enitan, who expressed displeasure on the increase in ticket price, observed that the upsurge in passengers travelling could be a result of Christmas among other reasons.
“I have determined to celebrate this Christmas with my family. For the past four years, they celebrated in Lagos, while I celebrated both Christmas and New Year in Abuja because of work.
“About three days ago, I booked with Arik Air a return ticket from Abuja to Lagos for N170, 000. That is N85 for one way. God will save us in this country, “ he said.
Mrs Evelyn Chukudi, a passenger, who frowned at skyrocketing of airfare, said that passengers had not felt any impact on addressing scarcity of aviation fuel.
According to her, the local airline operators have been referring to JETA1 as the major reason for the increase in air fares.
“ Truly, they just keep increasing the ticket prices. I am going to Port-Harcourt with my husband. The fare was about N85, 000 each. We actually booked few days ago with Air Peace.
“ This is too much. It is all about your choice of airline. The local airlines` fares are seemly similar, “ she said.
Another passenger, Alhaji Muhammed Kabiru, was also disheartened over the increase of ticket price.
According to Kabiru, he chose to travel by air to Kano due to comfort, safety, and timeliness.
“ Big thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari, who paid us our salary on time.
“The airfare now is too high. I paid N90, 000 one way from Abuja to Kano; I booked with MAX Air yesterday. I just need to travel to catch fun and enjoy my leave in Kano, “ he said.
NAN checks at both arrival and departure sides in the Abuja airport showed that passengers at the departure were extremely populated, while passengers at the arrival were scanty.
Aviation Fuel Scarcity: Airline Operators Warn Nigerians Of Disruptions In Flight Schedules
Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, told travellers to brace up for more flight delays and cancellations as aviation fuel scarcity bites harder.
Obiora Okonkwo, the AON spokesman, disclosed this in a statement obtained by our correspondent, in Abuja.
He said airlines are currently facing a hard time getting the commodity from suppliers which may further increase the cost of air tickets.
Okonkwo said: “there are impending disruptions in scheduled flight operations due to the scarcity of aviation fuel, otherwise known as JET-A1, which reared its ugly head again in the past few days. The scarcity will no doubt force airlines to reschedule flights leading to late operations and, or, cancellations.
“This unintended development is a pain on airline operators and a stain on the industry especially at this time of mass movement of people for the Christmas and New Year festivities.
“While we do our utmost best to manage the situation and ensure safe flight operations, we plead the understanding of the traveling public in the circumstance”, he appealed.
He, therefore, called on product importers and other marketers to as a matter of urgency “resolve this ugly situation so as to ease the stress it brings on the travelling public.”