Nigerian Airlines Give Reason For Price Increase In Flight Tickets

*We Don’t Have Power To Reduce Flights Ticket Price Says
Ministry Of Aviation

Some local airlines in Nigerian at the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport (NAIA), Abuja have given reasons for the
upsurge in fares to the current exchange rate.

The airlines, speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said
the current exchange rate is to blame for the increase adding that
a dollar that was N365 recently had gone up to N480/N500.

Max Air Station Manager, Mr Kehinde Ogunyale, said the impute to
aviation industry was mostly based on dollar as parts of the craft
could only be obtained from abroad.

“The fare actually went up. From Abuja to Lagos last week,
highest fare was 35, 300 (Economy Class) and 80,000 (Business
Class).

“ From Abuja to Lagos at present, highest fare is 60, 000
(Economy Class) and 98,000 (Business Class), “ he added.

Ogunyale added that the festive season is also a reason for the
increment.

“The demand at the moment has outweighed capacity. After this
period, we are going to a period called `low season`. That is the
middle of January when nobody will want to fly.

The Station Manager of Aero Contractors, Mr Abdulmalik Jibreel,
also disclosed that the company had increased the fares due to
dollar to naira exchange rate coupled with high demand of tickets
by passengers.

According to him, the airlines have no option than to increase
the fare to meet demand of foreign exchange in the market of
aircraft parts.

He mentioned that “the Government should make a certain
percentage for the airlines of FOREX as a special price by Central
Bank of Nigeria. By doing so, this may make ticket fare to
drop.

“Government needs to step into aviation sector because we do not
manufacture any part of air craft in Nigeria. One of the previous
administrations in the country once waved custom duty on all spare
parts of air craft.

“ Government needs to take all these steps to make aviation
sector viable. If not, masses will pay for it, “ he added.

*We Don’t Have Power To Reduce Flights Ticket
Price–Ministry Of Aviation

The Ministry of Aviation has weighed in on the increase in the
cost of flight tickets in the country.

Passengers have been lamenting about the recent increase in
flight tickets.

Dr James Odaudu, Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of
Aviation, told NAN that the ministry does not have the power to fix
ticket prices for any airline.

“The ministry does not have the power to fix ticket prices for
airlines. The aviation sector is a regulated one.

“If airlines feel they can increase their tickets, others should
take advantage of lowering their tickets prices.

He advised passengers lamenting about the fare to patronize
airlines with lower prices.

“Masses should learn to patronize the ones with lower prices.
Others will be forced to go with market forces.

“It is all about forces of demand and supply,” he added.

*We Don’t Have Power To Reduce Flights Ticket Price Says
Ministry Of Aviation

Some local airlines in Nigerian at the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport (NAIA), Abuja have given reasons for the
upsurge in fares to the current exchange rate.

The airlines, speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said
the current exchange rate is to blame for the increase adding that
a dollar that was N365 recently had gone up to N480/N500.

Max Air Station Manager, Mr Kehinde Ogunyale, said the impute to
aviation industry was mostly based on dollar as parts of the craft
could only be obtained from abroad.

“The fare actually went up. From Abuja to Lagos last week,
highest fare was 35, 300 (Economy Class) and 80,000 (Business
Class).

“ From Abuja to Lagos at present, highest fare is 60, 000
(Economy Class) and 98,000 (Business Class), “ he added.

Ogunyale added that the festive season is also a reason for the
increment.

“The demand at the moment has outweighed capacity. After this
period, we are going to a period called `low season`. That is the
middle of January when nobody will want to fly.

The Station Manager of Aero Contractors, Mr Abdulmalik Jibreel,
also disclosed that the company had increased the fares due to
dollar to naira exchange rate coupled with high demand of tickets
by passengers.

According to him, the airlines have no option than to increase
the fare to meet demand of foreign exchange in the market of
aircraft parts.

He mentioned that “the Government should make a certain
percentage for the airlines of FOREX as a special price by Central
Bank of Nigeria. By doing so, this may make ticket fare to
drop.

“Government needs to step into aviation sector because we do not
manufacture any part of air craft in Nigeria. One of the previous
administrations in the country once waved custom duty on all spare
parts of air craft.

“ Government needs to take all these steps to make aviation
sector viable. If not, masses will pay for it, “ he added.

*We Don’t Have Power To Reduce Flights Ticket
Price–Ministry Of Aviation

The Ministry of Aviation has weighed in on the increase in the
cost of flight tickets in the country.

Passengers have been lamenting about the recent increase in
flight tickets.

Dr James Odaudu, Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of
Aviation, told NAN that the ministry does not have the power to fix
ticket prices for any airline.

“The ministry does not have the power to fix ticket prices for
airlines. The aviation sector is a regulated one.

“If airlines feel they can increase their tickets, others should
take advantage of lowering their tickets prices.

He advised passengers lamenting about the fare to patronize
airlines with lower prices.

“Masses should learn to patronize the ones with lower prices.
Others will be forced to go with market forces.

“It is all about forces of demand and supply,” he added.