As price of aviation fuel continues to rise astronomically, domestic airline operators in Nigeria under their umbrella body Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have concluded to shutdown scheduled flights operations in the country as from Monday May 9, 2022 till further notice.
AON made this known in a press statement signed by its President, Alhaji (Dr.) Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina and available to the media on Friday evening.
The resolution of the eight Chief Executive Officers of the domestic airlines operating in the country has been sent to the Minister of Aviation and Director General of Nigerian civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The statement read in part: “The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) hereby wishes to regrettably inform the general public that member airlines will discontinue operations nationwide with effect from Monday May 9, 2022 until further notice.”
AON which apologised for the inconveniences the action may have on air passengers urged them to seek alternative means to meet their transportation needs during the period the action lasts.
“AON uses this medium to humbly state that we regret any inconveniences this very difficult decision might cause and appeal to travelers to kindly reconsider their travel itinerary and make alternative arrangement,” the statement added.
The body of domestic airline operators in Nigeria explained that it decided to take the action because it could no longer continue to subsidise its operations for members of the public as price of aviation fuel which takes 40 percent of their operations continues to rise astronomically.
It added that no scheduled domestic airline operators can continue bear the shock of the increase in the price of Jet A1 from N190 in January to at the present price of N700 per litre.
“It is with a great sense of responsibility and patriotism that the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have carried on deploying and subsidising their services to our highly esteemed Nigerian flying public in the last four months despite the steady and astronomical hike in the price of JetA1 and other operating costs.
“Overtime, aviation fuel price (JetA1) has risen from N190 per litre to N700 currently. No airline in the world can absorb this kind of sudden shock from such an astronomical rise over a short period. While aviation fuel worldwide is said to cost about 40% of an airline’s operating cost globally, the present hike has shut up Nigeria’s operating cost to about 95%.
“In the face of this, airlines have engaged the Federal Government, the National Assembly, NNPC and Oil Marketers with the view to bringing the cost of JetA1 down which has currently made the unit cost per seat for a one hour flight in Nigeria today to an average of N120,000. The latter cannot be fully passed to passengers who are already experiencing a lot of difficulties.
While it appreciated efforts by the Federal government to ensure that air transportation grows, AON, however said that it can no longer sustain operation under the pressure the unabated rise in Jet A1 puts on them.
“While AON appreciates the efforts of the current government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure air transport in Nigeria grows, unfortunately, the cost of aviation fuel has continued to rise unabated thereby creating huge pressure on the sustainability of operations and financial viability of the airlines. This is unsustainable and the airlines can no longer absorb the pressure,” the statement concluded.
