A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES INTRODUCE ECONOMICAL TICKET PRICES

Travelers and travel agencies can now breathe a sigh of relief, as international airlines operating in the country have unveiled a limited number of affordable tickets, achieved through the intervention of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The NCAA took action to curb what it labeled as the “spiraling cost of air tickets.” High ticket prices on international routes had been a source of concern for Nigerian passengers, as foreign airlines had suspended the sale of inexpensive economy tickets due to funds being held. This resulted in higher ticket prices in Nigeria compared to neighboring countries like Ghana, Cotonou, and Sierra Leone.

Travel agents, represented by the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), protested against the continued unavailability of low-inventory tickets. Captain Chris Najomo, the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, responded to these concerns by establishing a 10-man committee to examine the high cost of tickets in the country.

After a two-day high-level meeting between the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and foreign airlines, a 10-man committee has been established to address the urgent need to unblock low inventory tickets that were blocked for over 18 months. Chaired by Mr. Horatius Egua, the Director of Special Duties at NCAA, the committee is tasked with ensuring that foreign airlines fully comply with the government’s directives to unblock low inventory tickets and recommend appropriate pricing of tickets in Nigeria compared to similar markets in the West African sub-region.

During a recent meeting with foreign airlines, the NCAA Director General, represented by the Director of Special Duties, expressed dissatisfaction with the unjust increase in flight fares for Nigerians on international flights. He highlighted that foreign airlines had cited the high exchange rate and other issues to justify the astronomical increase in flight tickets. Additionally, low inventory tickets were deliberately blocked, making travel burdensome for Nigerians. The Director General emphasized the discriminatory nature of these practices and rejected the imposition of higher fares on Nigerians compared to other countries in the sub-region with similar distances and operating aircraft.

In response to the authority’s instruction, the Director General confirmed that Lufthansa German Airlines, KLM, Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, British Airways, Royal Air Maroc, RwandAir, and Turkish Airlines have released all categories of low inventory tickets. However, Air France has failed to comply with the directives.

Abdullateef Aliyu; From the News Source: DailyTrust