THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ELEVATED PRICES OF AIR TICKETS.

The Nigerian Federal Government has expressed its preparedness to address the issue of inaccessible low inventory tickets that have been unavailable for over 18 months. Additionally, it pledges to review ticket pricing in Nigeria to align with rates in other markets within the West African sub-region.

This announcement came through a press release issued on Thursday, signed by Chris Najomo, Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), following a two-day meeting between the NCAA and foreign airlines at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja.

In an effort to make air travel more affordable for Nigerians, the federal government, through the NCAA, has established a 10-member committee tasked with investigating foreign airlines regarding the steep increase in airfares. The committee, chaired by Horatius Egua, Director of Special Duties at the NCAA, aims to ensure compliance with government directives to unblock low-inventory tickets and recommend appropriate pricing of tickets compared to other markets in the West African sub-region.

The committee comprises individuals such as Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at NCAA, and Rotimi Arogunjo, General Manager of Licensing and Statistics at NCAA, among others. Egua stressed the importance of fair pricing, denouncing the discriminatory nature of current fare structures. He highlighted instances where similar distances covered by foreign airlines cost significantly less in other countries compared to Nigeria.

Egua pointed out that Nigerians have been subjected to unfairly high airfares on international flights due to various factors cited by foreign airlines, including exchange rate fluctuations. Additionally, low inventory tickets have been deliberately blocked, exacerbating the challenges faced by Nigerian travelers.

From the News Source: Techeconomy