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Domestic airline operators under the aegies of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have unanimously agreed to hike air fare by N2,000 following the increase in the price of aviation fuel (Jet A1) and other operational instruments.
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Domestic airline operators under the aegies of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have unanimously agreed to hike air fare by N2,000 following the increase in the price of aviation fuel (Jet A1) and other operational instruments.
Speaking with Daily Sun in Lagos Wdnesday, AON Assistant Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur said the decision to hike the fare was taken at a meeting held by the body on Tuesday. With the new developement, fare for an hour flight that was hitherto N10,000 has moved to N12,000 with effect from next Monday. Lagos-Abuja trip is now N24,000 return flight.
Tukur noted that Virgin Nigeria now charges N14,500 for the same one hour flight, while Aero Contractors fare is N13,500.
On whether the fare increase would not lead to drop in passenger turnover Tukur said there was absolutely nothing airlines could do but to hike fare, stressing that the development was necessitated by hike in the price of aviation fuel that has moved from N66 to N78.80k per litre. He added the increase also arose from a new directive from the Aviation Ministry mandating airlines airlines to patronise the Skypower Aviation Handling Company Ltd (SAHCOL) or the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO).
"You see the hike is inevitable if we're to remain in business. What we're spending at times outweighs our income. Look at Chanchangi Airlines, we make 24 landings a day and so we'll pay N240,000 to SAHCOL for handling charges. So it's not really easy for us," he stressed.