Chinedu Eze
There are sturdy 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 turn out to be the best season of the 12 months when many Nigerians journey to their properties of origin to have a good time the Yuletide and the New Year with their family members.
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 vital highway infrastructure linking the South East and the South West from different elements of the nation are dilapidated. This, many believed, would enhance the variety of people who journey by air and as demand will increase, the value of air tickets may even enhance.
Reports point out that the best value 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 value 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 have 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 enhance 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 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, worth 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 acquired any stories in opposition to its fares, which suggests 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, instructed THISDAY that with extra airways, it’s true there will likely be competitors however there’s at all times competitors out there, noting that extra entrants out there 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 usually are not going to function at a loss merely to draw passengers, notably when they’re nonetheless making an attempt to determine themselves out there.
“Christmas journey, particularly to the South-East and South-South, is basically a one-way visitors phenomenon. Airlines might have passengers flying into these locations in massive numbers, however the probability 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 marketing consultant and former Rector, the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Capt. Samuel Caulcrick, instructed THISDAY that in a wholesome market, elevated competitors (extra airways) drives costs down. However, in Nigeria, airways usually are not competing on effectivity; they’re struggling in opposition to crushing systemic prices that set up a really excessive “price floor” under which they can’t legally or operationally survive.
He famous that prime value of capital, heavy taxation, and a extreme shortage of international trade imply that merely including extra home airways to the Nigerian airspace won’t drive down ticket costs—particularly throughout 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 throughout the interval nevertheless it could possibly be higher than what occurred final 12 months.
Ohunayo mentioned there needs to be extra environment friendly use of the services on the airports; to have them open past 6:00 pm throughout the peak season. He mentioned that if the airports function into the evening, it could allow extra airways to carry passengers within the evening. 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.
