Chinedu Eze
There are robust indications that home airways will introduce outrageous airfares as Christmas vacation approaches, a improvement that’s already creating panic amongst home air travellers.
This occurs yearly as Christmas vacation has grow to be the best season of the yr when many Nigerians journey to their houses of origin to have a good time the Yuletide and the New Year with their kin.
Airlines over the years have a tendency to extend the price of tickets to locations such as Port Harcourt, Benin, Calabar, Owerri, Enugu, Warri, Asaba, Anambra, and even different locations within the South West like Akure and Ibadan.
Road journey has grow to be much less engaging as a result of insecurity and the truth that some crucial street infrastructure linking the South East and the South West from different elements of the nation are dilapidated. This, many believed, would improve the variety of those that journey by air and as demand will increase, the worth of air tickets will even improve.
Reports point out that the best price of flight ticket from Lagos to a lot of the South East vacation spot through the Christmas season of 2025 was about N499, 998 for one-way financial system ticket; whereas return journeys on associated South East festive routes exceeded N700, 000.
Also, through the Christmas season of 2024, peak flight ticket costs from Lagos to Owerri and different South East locations reached N450, 000 to 500, 000 for single one-way financial system ticket.
The excessive price of airfares appeared to have pitted airways in opposition to travellers who complained bitterly in opposition to the astronomical rise in fares. Many of the travellers puzzled why fares to South East and South South locations had been so excessive, however airways defined and insisted that it merely adopted the regulation of demand and provide.
However, there are indications that fares my not improve as it did within the final two years as a result of there are extra gamers out there.
Since 2024, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has registered 4 information airways and these embrace Enugu Air, Binani Air, 3 Horizons Nigeria Limited and MCM Jets Limited. These are along with the comparatively new entrants like Xejet, ValueJet, which have operated for about 4 years. In addition, some airways have added extra plane of their fleet and these embrace Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines, Ibom Air, ValueJet, Cally Air (operated by ValueJet) and Aero Contractors.
These additions could imply that there could be extra seats to serve air travellers and when provide is assembly demand, value is tamed.
THISDAY spoke to the picture maker of Air Peace, Mr. Osifo-Whiskey Efe, who stated that the airline has not elevated fares since August and the airline has not obtained any experiences in opposition to its fares, which implies travellers are okay with the fares.
“We have maintained the same fares since August and this is November. However, I know that at some point it may change but so far, so good,” he stated.
However, talking on behalf of United Nigeria, Chibuike Uloka, advised THISDAY that with extra airways, it’s true there shall be competitors however there’s all the time competitors out there, noting that extra entrants out there can not assure decrease fares.
“There has all the time been competitors within the aviation market, even earlier than the current entrants. While extra airways are becoming a member of the business, I don’t essentially see this translating into considerably decrease fares through the Christmas season. The actuality is that festive-season pricing is essentially pushed by demand, operational prices and the peculiar journey sample throughout that interval. Airlines aren’t going to function at a loss merely to draw passengers, significantly when they’re nonetheless attempting to determine themselves out there.
“Christmas journey, particularly to the South-East and South-South, is essentially a one-way site visitors phenomenon. Airlines could have passengers flying into these locations in massive numbers, however the chance of returning with considerably fewer passengers, and even working near-empty flights, is excessive. That imbalance must be factored into their pricing.
“Ultimately, I believe the issue goes beyond competition. The bigger challenge is the high cost of airline operations. Until those costs come down, increased competition alone may not deliver the significant reduction in the airfares during the festive-season that many passengers are hoping for,” Uloka stated.
Industry guide and former Rector, the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Capt. Samuel Caulcrick, advised THISDAY that in a wholesome market, elevated competitors (extra airways) drives costs down. However, in Nigeria, airways aren’t competing on effectivity; they’re struggling in opposition to crushing systemic prices that set up a really excessive “price floor” beneath which they can not legally or operationally survive.
He famous that prime price of capital, heavy taxation, and a extreme shortage of international change imply that merely including extra home airways to the Nigerian airspace won’t drive down ticket costs—particularly through the December peak season when demand surges in a single route.
Speaking in the identical vein, the Executive Secretary, Aviation Round Table (ART), Olu Fidel Ohunayo, famous that competitors among the many airways wouldn’t carry down the fares through the interval however it could possibly be higher than what occurred final yr.
Ohunayo stated there ought to be extra environment friendly use of the services on the airports; to have them open past 6:00 pm through the peak season. He stated that if the airports function into the night time, it could allow extra airways to carry passengers within the night time. This will assist to eradicate flight cancellations, particularly to the Eastern locations.
He expressed happiness on the decision of the protracted deadlock between the federal authorities and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), the operators of MMA2, expressing hope that the terminal will open extra ramp house for extra airways to board passengers on the terminal.
