Air passengers and stakeholders are increasingly concerned that domestic airfares have surpassed tickets to some West African countries, causing disquiet in the industry.
Reports indicate that ticketing staff of airlines are collaborating with touts at airports, making it difficult for passengers to book flights easily. Checks on various airline portals show that flights, particularly on the Lagos-Abuja route, are almost constantly fully booked.
Investigations reveal that ticketing officers and online touts are hoarding tickets, leading to inflated prices. For example, a return ticket from Lagos to Abuja can cost up to N500,000, and during peak periods like the Eid-El-Kabir holiday, a one-way ticket can sell for as much as N280,000.
Similar price hikes are observed on other routes, with passengers paying up to N200,000 for underserved routes. At airports, middlemen offer tickets at exorbitant prices, taking advantage of passengers’ desperation.
For instance, a Kano-Abuja flight on Max Air recently sold for N230,000, despite being only a 40-minute flight, while Lagos-Port Harcourt tickets ranged from N171,600 to N238,000 on different airlines.
Comparatively, some passengers now pay more for domestic flights than international routes like Lagos to Accra. This discrepancy is highlighted by the fact that international flights generally include higher taxes and charges, yet domestic fares remain higher.
Passengers express frustration with the current system, citing experiences of paying more for domestic flights than international ones. The difficulty in booking flights online, only to find touts selling the same tickets at inflated prices at the airport, points to a systemic issue.
Airline operators attribute the high fares to the basic economics of demand and supply, worsened by the dwindling fleets of domestic airlines. Over 50% of aircraft belonging to domestic airlines are currently grounded, reducing capacity and driving up prices.
Operators acknowledge that some people are manipulating the booking systems, calling for urgent measures to link ticket purchases with biometric verification numbers (BVN) to curb touting. They also stress the need for government intervention to ensure airlines have access to foreign exchange and to reduce taxes and charges.
Aviation analysts warn that the high fares will deter passengers, urging airlines to reduce prices to attract more travelers. Despite a recent reduction in aviation fuel prices, the cost of flying remains prohibitive for many passengers.
