A few domestic airlines have increased airfares to the South-South and South-East regions of Nigeria by over 100 per cent, as some one-way tickets from December 18, 2024, sell for about N287,000.

Usually during the yuletide rush, airfares are mostly raised due to the high demand for tickets. But this season, passengers say prices of air tickets are out of reach following various economic challenges.

Checks by The PUNCH on different airlines’ websites showed that airfares, particularly to the South-South and South-East regions have increased by over 100 per cent compared to what the prices were before the yuletide.

A flight search on the booking platform of Air Peace showed that a one-way economy ticket from Lagos to Asaba in Delta State, moved from N97,400 as of December 5, to N287,800 by December 18. The airline plans to maintain this price till the end of the year.

The airfare from Abuja to Asaba on Air Peace moved from N95,400 on December 5, to N285,800 by December 16.

Lagos to Benin in Edo State stayed at N95,000 throughout the yuletide, while Abuja to Benin moved from N95,000 to N285,800 by December 16.

The airline plans to sell the Lagos-Calabar ticket for N162,000 by December 15 and raise the same to N181,000 by December 22. Abuja to the same state cost N114,400 by December 6 but will be sold for N162,000 by December 23.

Flying to Uyo from Lagos on Air Peace was about N145,000 on December 8, but will be increased to N202,100 by the 15th of the same month. From Abuja to the same state cost N162,000 on December 8, but will sell for N238,000 by December 22.

Flight tickets from Lagos to Port Harcourt or Abuja to Port Harcourt cost N95,400 as of December 5 but increased to N285,800 from December 19.

On the South-East routes, air tickets for Lagos – Anambra on Air Peace was N114,400 as of December 6. This increased to N381,100 by December 17. Air Peace also scheduled Abuja – Anambra for N95,000 as of December 5 but raised it to N285,800 by December 23.

For Enugu, a flight ticket to the state from Lagos was sold for N95,000 as of December 5 but increased to N285,800 from December 19. Although the price increased to N381,100 on the 20th, it was returned to N285,800 from 21st to 29th December.

The same amount applied to inbound Enugu flights from Abuja as of the 5th but according to the airline’s website, the fare will rise to N285,800 between the 21st – 29th of the same month.

Going to Owerri, the Imo state capital, from Lagos, started at N95,400 on the 5th of December but will increase to N381,000 by the 29th of December. Abuja to Owerri also started at N95,000 but turned to N285,000 from the 17th to the 30th of the month.

Whereas, for Ibom Air, a one-way economy ticket from Lagos to Uyo between the 16th and 17th of December will cost N152,700.

A one-way economy ticket from Lagos to Port Harcourt on Valuejet between the 18th, 19th, and 20th of December will also be sold for N164,761.

However, while airlines are increasing their fares, the Managing Director of Nigeria’s oldest aviation company, Aero Contractors, Ado Sanus, announced the slashing of its fares to an average of N80,000 for local flights recently.

According to Sanusi, at a press conference, the reduction was the company’s way of appreciating Nigeria’s flying passengers during the country’s challenging time, which also coincided with the yuletide.

The airline said the reduction will be applied to all its destinations, including Abuja, Asaba, Benin City, Calabar, Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, Lagos, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Uyo and Sokoto.

The Aero Contractors MD added that despite the ticket fare reduction to an average of N80,000, the airline will still make a moderate profit.

Passengers kick

Speaking with our correspondent in a random interview, a mother of four, Mrs Nkechi Joshua, said she had decided to stay back in Lagos.

“Just imagine that I bought N280,000 tickets each for my four children and myself just to travel to Owerri, where do I get the funds to cook chicken on Christmas and New Year days? This increase is unimaginable. Don’t they have regulators?

“I can’t afford this and I can’t travel on Nigerian roads with my children to such a far destination, I can’t pay ransom to a kidnapper, I have decided to celebrate in Lagos, heaven will not fall. Thank God my children are now grown-ups but I know they will be unhappy about it because we travel every year, but I will rather explain than be wrecked.”

Also, Mr Chukwuma Obiagazie, expressed his frustration, calling on the Federal Government to intervene in the matter to curb what he called a “cold and unattractive Christmas and New Year celebrations for Nigerians.”

Road transporters speak

Ahead of the Christmas and New Year Holidays, transporters making trips from Lagos and Abuja to the South-East have said that fare prices may increase, depending on fluctuating fuel costs in the course of the holidays.

Checks by our correspondent showed that across the various parks, the average fare price from Abuja to Abakaliki was between N9,000 and N11,000; Abuja to Aba and Onitsha N25,000; Abuja to Enugu between N12,000 and N15000; while Abuja to Owerri cost about N12000.

However, prices slightly varied at Utako park where the fare from Abuja to Enugu cost N13,500, Abuja to Onitsha, N25,000, and Abuja to Owerri, N12,000.

A couple of drivers at the Utako park said prices may go up depending on fuel prices, adding that patronage was stable as passengers sought to travel home for the holidays

“I drive from Abuja to Anambra. Towards let me say the next two weeks, the price may increase. We don’t yet know by how much, but if the fuel increases, the price will be high. And it can be around N10,000 up. Passengers will come very well, this is December and people will travel to their villages”, Zion Akpan said.

Another driver, Ele Akpan, who drives a night bus, stated that prices depended on whether the passengers would enjoy air conditioning during their trip or not. He noted that about 20 buses had already left the park in the day, adding that there was a healthy patronage.

“If it’s with AC to Onitsha, N28,500; without AC, N25,500. At least we treat our passengers well. The price hasn’t increased. At least fuel prices are still stable. We have passengers. As you can see, the park is empty”, he said.

A passenger travelling to Ughelli in Anambra state, said the prices were fare, noting that he preferred to travel early on in the month, before the Christmas rush.

“I prefer to travel early. If I wait until Christmas time, apart from the rush, prices would have gone up. And there seems to be a spirit of fuel scarcity around that time. So it’s better for me to travel home at this time”, Emmanuel Udo, said.

Sharing the same sentiment, another passenger, MaryJane Edet, commended the transporters for keeping the price steady, noting that prices could have tripple with ghe current situation in the country.

“I’m surprised they are still just charging N25,000 for Onitsha. Considering the way things have been this year, I prepared to negotiate from N35,000. But it’s good it is this way. I’m only worried about the return trip in January”, she said.

At the Zuba park, a passengers Chidoka Henry, said he would have cancelled the trip if the prices were higher, while hoping to take advantage of slashed fare prices for his return trip.

“If they were more expensive, I probably would have just stayed in Abuja for the holdiays. I hope the President gives another travel discount, because I can’t imagine what the price would be by January”.

For transport company Peace Mass Transit, checks on the website showed that a trip to Aba ranged anywhere between N19,000 and 25,000 depending on what park one boarded from. Similarly, a trip from Abuja to Awka in Anambra State ranged between N17,000 and N22,000 also depending on what park a passenger boarded.

For instance, while a trip to Aba from the Zuba park cost N20,500, the same trip would cost N19,000 from the Kubwa park and N25,000 from the Utako and Mararaba Parks.

A staff of the transport company, who declined to be named in this report, stated that the prices may increase to as much as N28,000 to Aba as the holidays drew closer.

“This is still early December, so the prices are low. When we get to mid-December and into the holiday season, the prices will definitely increase. But again, there is the issue of whether or not fuel price will increase or become scarce during that time”, he said.

He however declined comments when asked whether the company would partake in a possible price fair slash directive from the President.

Credit: PUNCH