Chinedu Eze
There are robust indications that home airways will introduce outrageous airfares as Christmas vacation approaches, a growth that’s already creating panic amongst home air travellers.
This occurs yearly as Christmas vacation has turn out to be the very best season of the 12 months when many Nigerians journey to their houses of origin to have fun the Yuletide and the New Year with their family.
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 turn out to be much less enticing attributable to insecurity and the truth that some essential 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 people who journey by air and as demand will increase, the worth of air tickets will even improve.
Reports point out that the very best price of flight ticket from Lagos to many of the South East vacation spot throughout the Christmas season of 2025 was about N499, 998 for one-way economic system ticket; whereas return journeys on associated South East festive routes exceeded N700, 000.
Also, throughout 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 economic 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 available in the market.
Since 2024, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has registered 4 information airways and these embody 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 embody Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines, Ibom Air, ValueJet, Cally Air (operated by ValueJet) and Aero Contractors.
These additions might imply that there can 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 mentioned that the airline has not elevated fares since August and the airline has not obtained any stories 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 mentioned.
However, talking on behalf of United Nigeria, Chibuike Uloka, advised THISDAY that with extra airways, it’s true there shall be competitors however there may be at all times competitors available in the market, noting that extra entrants available in the market can not assure decrease fares.
“There has at all times 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 throughout the Christmas season. The actuality is that festive-season pricing is basically 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, notably when they’re nonetheless attempting to determine themselves available in the market.
“Christmas journey, particularly to the South-East and South-South, is basically a one-way site visitors phenomenon. Airlines might 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 mentioned.
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” under which they can not legally or operationally survive.
He famous that prime price of capital, heavy taxation, and a extreme shortage of overseas alternate imply that merely including extra home airways to the Nigerian airspace is not going to drive down ticket costs—particularly throughout the December peak season when demand surges in a single course.
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 throughout the interval nevertheless it could possibly be higher than what occurred final 12 months.
Ohunayo mentioned there ought to be extra environment friendly use of the amenities on the airports; to have them open past 6:00 pm throughout the peak season. He mentioned that if the airports function into the night time, it might allow extra airways to carry passengers within the night time. This will assist to get rid of 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.
