Airline operators in Nigeria(AON) have warned Nigerian travellers to brace for yet another increase in the price of local airline tickets across the country.
This was disclosed by Obiora Okonkwo the spokesman of AON, citing multiple taxation and exchange rates.
According to Okonkwo, who is also the chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, unless the challenges are addressed, the price of local airline tickets will continue to rise.
Leadership reports that Okonkwo, argued that airlines operating in Nigeria are overburdened by multiple taxation, saying the forex regime of about N1,605 to one dollar.
He also stated that operators are forced to buy spares and fix their aircraft in dollars, even without increases in the cost of such spares abroad.
His words:
On the taxation challenges, he said that for every ticket that airlines sell there are about 20 to 22 deductions.
Okonkwo added:
Earlier, TimesNow.com.ng reported that travellers from Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Owerri, and Kano are now choosing to take the road instead of flying due to the ongoing increase in airfares.
Using data from multiple domestic airlines, BusinessDay calculated the average price of a one-way ticket to any destination, and the results showed an increase of nearly N150,000 in only a single year.
The average cost of a one-way travel from Lagos to Abuja is currently N143,000, up from N51,000 sold the previous year, representing a 180.4% price rise.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
