The economic dilapidation that has ravaged Nigeria’s living standards has led to an outrageous increase in prices of virtually all rendered services. The current recession has witnessed the flight prices of both local and international airlines skyrocket. While local airlines have increased their fares by nearly 100 percent, international flight fares have risen by about 282 percent as a result of the foreign exchange, blocked foreign airline funds amongst other economic problems that have pushed the ticket prices high.
However, recent reports suggest that foreign airlines coming into Nigeria might have to reduce their frequencies overtime, if there is no sign of reduction in cost of tickets. This is after the surge in airline prices and the current problem of reciprocating the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), with Nigeria. Reports indicate that these foreign airlines, in response to their concerns in the repatriation of over $464 million that has been entrapped in the country also added to the increase in airline fares.
Easy landing opportunities must be granted to Nigerian airlines.
Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Governor responding to this recent development, noted that the home government of these international airlines flying into Nigeria must reciprocate by also granting landing opportunities to Nigerian airlines as a measure for regulating the pressures of the foreign exchange. He stated that in cases like this, the Nigerian airlines would have no need for using foreign exchange to accrue tickets. He also disclosed that BASA never made it a necessity for the Central Bank to provide foreign exchange for repatriation of the foreign airlines’ income, urging them to obtain it from the ‘Exporters and Importers’ window.
However, in a meeting scheduled by Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives with the aviation stakeholders which included domestic and international operators, Allen Onyema, the chairman of Air Peace recommended that the foreign airlines reduce their operation frequencies on their own. He condemned the operations of the foreign airlines which compounds the problems of the country, stating that it was ridiculous and indefensible to have to pay N2.3 million for a 6-hour flight.
Air Peace struggled to get a land permit at Heathrow Airport during Covid.
Onyema, while disagreeing about the trapped funds being the catalyst for the huge disparity in the cost of the flight ticket, noted that during the Covid evacuation period, Air Peace struggled to get a permit to land into Heathrow Airport to help Nigerians evacuate. He stated that while Air Peace fixed its fare at N400,000, other airlines coming from the same location fixed their prices for about 2000 pounds each from Nigerians. He said that Air Peace was horribly treated, even at the expense of their safety. He disclosed that dogs were used to inspect their pilots and they were stopped from doing the walk-around on the aircraft, all in a bid to discourage them from carrying on with this operation.
He further explained that after their 6-hour flight to London, they were still restricted from inspecting the plane to notice any compromise and it took the intervention of the National Union Aviation Authority to petition the International Civil Aviation Organization. Onyema said it was more ridiculous that the fare for a South African-London trip which lasts 9 hours is less expensive than Nigeria’s 6-hour flight. However, it was noted that as Nigerians, we must learn to love our country.
Nigeria must stop paying ridiculous prices for Intl. airline services.
Onyema said that procuring solutions to this problem, so that these foreign airlines do not exploit Nigeria should be a priority and urged for Nigerian airlines be granted access to these international countries too. He stated that the stigmatization should not continue, even if it means his airline bearing the brunt for speaking up. He also said that these foreign airlines’ idea with their frequency increases was to snuff life out of indigenous airlines. He then added that while he supports these foreign carriers getting their money, Nigeria must not continue to pay ridiculous costs for the service.
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The financial devastation that has wreaked havoc on Nigeria’s economic productivity has resulted in an extraordinary spike in the prices of nearly all services supplied.
As a means of alleviating the strains placed on the nation’s economy by fluctuations in the value of the naira, it is imperative that the home governments of the international airlines that fly into Nigeria provide landing opportunities to the country’s domestic carriers.
If there is no sign of a reduction in ticket prices, international airlines that fly into Nigeria may be forced to restrict the number of times they fly into the country over time.
We can’t say because of the surge in flight, then airways should skyrocket the prices of tickets. Something needs to be done about the Nigeria – London flight urgently.
Government should take the necessary measure to boost Nigeria airlines business because lots of this foreign airlines has been taken bad Nigeria economy advantage to treat us badly in the international community.
We need to boost our country airline in other to stop all this kind of issue arising due to our poor economy it also affecting our airline and the ticket prices is high and need to be reduce if not international airlines that fly into Nigeria may be forced to restrict the number of times they fly into the country.
The ongoing economic downturn has led to an increase in the ticket prices of both domestic and foreign airlines. skyrocket
As a result of the country’s economic collapse, prices for almost all services in Nigeria have risen by an unbelievable amount.
According to recent sources, if there is no sign of a decrease in ticket prices, foreign airlines flying into Nigeria may be forced to lower their frequency over time.
The increase in air ticket is so alarming that one cannot really comprehend what is happening any longer.Somethibg needs to be do e drastically to save the masses.
Am not supprise about the increase. All thing in this country has increase yet not is working well fine in this nigeria
Solutions should be made available,so these foreign airlines do not exploit Nigeria. That should be a priority and also for Nigerian airlines be granted access to these international countries too.
Nigeria must not continue to pay ridiculous costs for the service. Something need to be done asap
Our national airline needs to be strengthened in order to stop all of these problems from developing because of our weak economy, which is also harming our airline. If not, international airlines who fly into Nigeria may be obliged to limit the number of times they go there.
Recent reports suggest that foreign airlines coming into Nigeria might have to reduce their frequencies overtime, if there is no sign of reduction in cost of tickets.
Even after landing in London after a 6-hour journey, they were not allowed to check the plane to look for signs of compromise; this was only resolved after the National Union Aviation Authority stepped in and petitioned the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The Central Bank must ensure that foreign exchange is available for the repatriation of foreign airlines’ profits, recommending that they do so through the ‘Exporters and Importers’ window.
In an effort to deter them from continuing with this activity, dogs were employed to inspect their pilots and they were forbidden to perform a walk-around of the plane.
All the happenings in the aviation sector point to the porosity in the capacity of this present administration ability to govern the nation. We have all the human and natural resources but not productive. Now we are experiencing brain drain in the name of “Japa”
It is really painful that Nigerians are subjected to inhumane kinds of redicule by most nations of the world. Traveling by foreign airlines, you’re forced to pay high fee simply because you are visiting their country and they maltreat because you’re a Nigerian. Our leaders has brought these on us.