Following the attack by bandits on the Kaduna airport which happened two months ago that led to the shutdown, commercial flights have recently resumed at the airport. According to a reliable source, the reopening of the Kaduna airport was facilitated by the state government through a committee raised to assess the transportation situation.
Unfortunately, after its resumption, passengers now battle with the price of tickets sold for over N100,000 per ticket, for flights between Abuja and Kaduna. Despite complaints from different people about the outrageous flight fare, the Executive Director of Zenith travels and consult, Mr. Olumide Ohuanyo disclosed that there was nothing unusual about the cost, as airlines are at liberty to fix any fare.
In his words, “The airfare is deregulated. Airlines are at the liberty to fix any fare. They just have to file a notification to the Nigerian civil aviation authority. With that, it is easier for the airlines and the passengers to determine their fares using the forces of demand and supply. Presently, Kaduna is one of the most dangerous cities to go into by land, either by road, rail or if there is water transportation. So it is a hot cake. Tickets are programmed in such a way that they increase as demand increases”.
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Asides from the fact that the price of aviation fuel increased which saw the prices of tickets skyrocket. Air passengers have been groaning over the high cost of these airfares, describing the increase as too exorbitant which has seen them call on the government for intervention.
After the Kaduna attack where some citizens lost their lives, with some still in captivity, Kaduna currently is a dreaded city. Going there by road or rail is not safe, as flight seems to be the only safest means currently.
Flight tickets to Kaduna are currently a hot cake and are currently programmed in such a way that the price increases as demand increases. I feel raising the price fare as demand increases is not ideal, because it’s more like these airlines are capitalizing on what is happening in Kaduna to make excess profit, knowing full well that flight is the only safest means and passengers will have it as their best option.
Traders on the other hand have had issues in bringing their goods to the state due to the closure of road and train services, as they are left with no option but to use air. Although some out of desperation have paid these outrageous airfares as they have no other option left.
Meanwhile, some airline operators have attributed the upsurge in fares to the current exchange rate, and they have stated that the rise in the fare was inevitable as these airlines need to stay afloat.
As these airline operators continue to increase their fares for a justifiable reason, however, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority should also step in to regulate these prices as some of them are way too high. They shouldn’t use the fact that the roads are not safe to profit from the insecurity in Nigeria, rather they should be considerate.
The NCAA had earlier warned to sanction airlines over price-fixing without their permission, to the detriment of the traveling public. They must step up to ensure that these airlines are monitored closely to ensure that those who raise their fare to outrageous amounts without their approval are sanctioned.