TheCable

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) says if the current volatility in the cost of operations was taken into account, a flight ticket on the Lagos-Abuja route should be priced at N250,000. 

Obiora Okonkwo, spokesperson for the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, spoke on Wednesday on Arise TV while addressing the current challenges in Nigeria’s aviation sector.

Currently, economy flight tickets on the route are sold for as low as N51,000 and as high as N95,000 — depending on the airline.

Okonkwo said local airline operators “make sacrifices” to ensure that the price of tickets remains low.

“If you think tickets are expensive, then you are definitely one of those who do not appreciate the patriotism and sacrifices made by local operators,” he said. 

“If we have to charge the fares the way the costs are changing every day, you should be paying not less than N250,000 from Lagos to Abuja.” 

He said between December 2022 and May 2023, Nigerian airlines have been losing a minimum of “$2 million every month”. 

Despite the loss, he said the airlines were still operating, considering the economic situation in the country. 

The AON spokesperson said “the naira swap, the election, the uncertainties, the poor economic activities” were some of the issues that bedevilled the aviation industry during the period.

“The only option would have been to shut down the air. And when you do, you could be accused of economic sabotage or even coup d’etat,” Okonkwo said. 

He added that the domestic airlines “absorbed those things” and wished Nigerians would be aware of the situation.