Amid skyrocketing air fares in Nigeria, the country’s domestic airlines have asked the federal government to ensure the availability of aviation fuel at affordable prices as a condition for slashing fares.
The local press Tuesday said the airline operators, at a meeting with the federal government in the economic capital city of Lagos Monday, also demanded, among others, the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on air tickets.
A one-hour flight, which cost 18,000 naira (US$120) for the economy class early this year, now goes for about 28,000 naira (US$186).
Operators said the high fares, which they blame on high cost of aviation fuel, had scared away many passengers.
Aviation fuel currently sells for around 200 naira (US$1.3) per litre, double the rate a few months ago.
“We are ready to bring down airfares if these requests are considered. We will stand a chance of bringing down fares to government’s demand of about US$100 or equivalent for an hour flight as it used to be,” said the Secretary-General of the umbrella Airline Operators of Nigeria, Capt. Muhammed Joji.
Director-General of the regulatory Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, who led the government’s delegation to the meeting, promised to convey the outcome to the government.