The return of two indigenous carriers – Aero Contractors and DANA Air has occasioned competition among airlines forcing airfares to drop on major routes ahead of the year-end travel otherwise known in aviation parlance as Yuletide Traffic.
Besides the returned carriers, the impact of fledgling carriers – Green Africa Airways and Value Jets Airlines, which are making inroads into the air transport market is contributing to the slide in airfares.
Experts familiar with the development said the reduction in fares could be attributed to the availability of more aircraft and by extension more seats for passengers to book for travel.
Investigations by The Nation reveal that an increase in capacity by major carriers on major routes has also crashed fares, which are lower than the amount charged a few months ago.
Checks on the website of some carriers – Air Peace, AZMAN Air, Max Air, Value Jets, Green Africa Airways, Overland Airways, DANA Air, Arik Air, and Aero Contractors reveal lower fare regimes.
Travel bookings for this week on some of the carriers reveal intense competition in terms of pricing and scheduling.
The minimum fare two months ago for major carriers was not less than N74, 000 for a one-hour flight.
On the Lagos – Abuja route, while some carriers are offering a one-hour fare between ₦46,500 and )₦52, 500, others are offering the same seat between ₦55,000 and Nl₦80,000.
AF24NEWS gathered that very stiff competition exists among carriers plying the Lagos / Port Harcourt route with fares ranging between N42, 600 and N52, 500 for one of the carriers using a rotary wing propeller airplane as opposed to another airline using a fixed-wing /jet engine aircraft offering its fares between N55,000 and N59, 000.
On the Lagos / Akure axis, fares oscillate between N42, 500, and N64, 000.
On Northern routes – Lagos, Maiduguri, Gombe, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Birnin Kebbi, and others competition among the carriers is even stiffer.
While one of the carriers is offering between N60,000 and N65, 000 on the Lagos / Kano route another operator is offering between N55, 000 and N60, 000 respectively.
Fares on the Lagos / Kaduna route stand between N70,000 and N75,000.
Lagos / Sokoto fares range between N84, 500 and N151, 000.
Fares on the Lagos / Maiduguri route by one of the airlines range between N78, 000 and N100, 585. Fares on the Lagos / Yola route range between N85, 739 and N108, 593.
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