Air passengers and stakeholders are deeply concerned as domestic airfares in Nigeria have surpassed those for flights to some West African countries.
This surge has sparked widespread unease within the industry. The issue is exacerbated by reports of collusion between airline ticketing staff and touts at airports, making it challenging for travelers to secure tickets through normal channels.
Booking flights has become increasingly difficult, with many airline portals showing constant full bookings, especially on high-demand routes like Lagos to Abuja. Investigations reveal that ticketing officers collaborate with online touts to monopolize tickets, particularly on the day of travel, leading to inflated prices. For instance, return tickets from Lagos to Abuja can cost up to N500,000, while other domestic routes also experience steep pricing, sometimes surpassing fares for international flights to nearby countries like Ghana.
Airlines attribute the price hikes to high demand coupled with reduced fleet capacities, as many aircraft are grounded for maintenance worldwide.
This situation has compelled airlines to cut back on flight frequencies, further limiting available seats and driving prices up. Industry experts suggest that addressing these challenges requires government intervention, including facilitating access to foreign exchange for airlines and revising industry taxes and charges.
In response to the ticketing racket involving touts, stakeholders propose linking flight bookings to passengers’ Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) to curb fraud.
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They argue that such measures could restore transparency and fairness in ticket distribution, crucial for rebuilding passenger trust in the Nigerian aviation sector.
