Operators worried as domestic air travelers decline by 27%

Airline operators have raised an alarm over the dwindling passengers’ figure as traffic reduced by 27 per cent as against 2024. This is just as operators asked the Federal Government to stop multiple taxations imposed on operating carriers in the country to sustain their operation. Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi and […]

Airline operators have raised an alarm over the dwindling passengers’ figure as traffic reduced by 27 per cent as against 2024.

This is just as operators asked the Federal Government to stop multiple taxations imposed on operating carriers in the country to sustain their operation.

Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi and Ag. Managing Director of Ibom Air, George Uriesi spoke in Lagos yesterday during the Airport Business Summit and Expo (ABSE), organised by the Nigerian Aviation (NIGAV) at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

 The summit which attracted participation from airlines and airport operators had as its theme, “Investment Opportunities in Airport Public-Private Partnerships.”

Uriesi during a panel discussion lamented the declining passenger figure, saying it poses threat to the sustainability of the industry unless more people fly.

Daily Trust reports that the macroeconomic dynamics in Nigeria, especially the inflationary pressures have pushed up air fares by more than 100 per cent in recent times.

A one-way Lagos-Abuja flight which used to be around N40,000 pre-subsidy removal in 2023 is now over N120,000. It could go as much as N200,000 and N250,000 depending on the time of flight.

The exorbitant prices of tickets have contributed to the reduction in the number of people flying, according to analysts.

The Ibom Air boss confirmed that traffic has been dwindling since 2022, saying the situation is getting worse and efforts must be made to attract more passengers to fly.

“We are down by 27% from 2024. We are in trouble, we have to find a way to get people flying again,” he said.

The Airline operator said airports must work with airlines to survive, saying, “In Aviation ecosystem, the driver is the airline. Nobody will earn kobo if airlines do not fly. Everybody talks about money because airlines are flying.”

Capt. Ado Sanusi said multiple charges threaten the survival of airlines, noting this is responsible for the death of many airlines in the past.

He expressed regrets that the government was taxing the airlines to fund the agencies, maintaining that the entire struggle by the two would continue without any growth in the system.

He said: “As stakeholders, we have to come together and sincerely look at the problem. As it stands, we are window dressing it. We have to sincerely look at the problem.

“This taxing of the airlines is not working. So, we must make sure that we give the airlines a break and see how they can survive. We must look at the airline industry as an infant industry and give it protection to grow.”

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr. Ibrahim Kana said it was open to Public Private Partnership of any model to grow the sector.

Kana pointed out that under the Renewed Hope Agenda President Bola Tinubu, the government had reaffirmed its commitment to fostering PPP as a key mechanism for sustainable development.