Minister Attributes Expensive Airfare To Insufficient Aircraft Availability

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has announced plans to reduce ticket fares in the near future.

According to Mr. Keyamo, the current increase in ticket fares is due to a shortage of planes from local operators to meet the growing demand for air travel. Airlines are facing financial difficulties, resulting in scaled-down operations and reduced aircraft availability.

This situation has led to poor service quality, with passengers experiencing higher ticket prices for subpar services.

The average fare for the Lagos-Abuja route, which is the busiest route in Nigeria, is currently N120,000 per passenger for a one-hour flight. This translates to about $83 per passenger at the current exchange rate.

Many retired or non-functioning aircraft can be found at various airports across the country, further reducing the available fleet size.

Compared to Ethiopian Airlines, the combined fleet of all Nigerian airlines amounts to only 40 percent of their capacity.

During his keynote address at the 28th conference of the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondent in Lagos, Minister Keyamo assured local operators that the government is actively engaging with aircraft manufacturers to acquire more planes for both domestic and international routes.

He acknowledged that local operators face numerous challenges, including limited access to aircraft, maintenance and repair facilities, and difficulties obtaining foreign exchange for spare parts.

The recent increase in air fares has been attributed to these challenges. However, the minister assured that the government is taking steps to address these issues.

The conference, with the theme “Aviation Survivability amidst a Challenging MacroEconomic Environment,” also highlighted other industry challenges such as poor infrastructure, lack of data, and manpower shortages.

The Managing Director of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Umar Farouk, stressed that despite significant investments in airspace infrastructure, the agency is struggling to sustain its operations due to payment issues.

NAMA has proposed a fee review to ensure its survival and maintain safety and efficiency in the airspace. The agency aims to increase fees by 800 percent, considering the substantial increase in costs across the economy.

Dr. Thomas Ogungbagbe, Chairman of the event and an aviation fuel marketer, highlighted the need to stimulate economic growth, allocate resources efficiently, and promote public-private partnerships for improved aviation survivability in Nigeria.

He emphasized the importance of inviting private investments and expertise to manage airport infrastructure, which can lead to better operations and passenger experiences.

Suleiman Idris, Chairman of the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondent (LAAC), urged the Federal Government to reconsider its decision to retain 50 percent of internally generated revenue from certain agencies.