Nigerian Airlines Raise Base Airfares To N200,000 Amid Rising Operating Costs

Domestic airlines in Nigeria have increased their minimum base fares to as high as N200,000 for one-way tickets following mounting operational challenges and the continued surge in aviation fuel prices.

Checks across airline booking platforms on Wednesday showed that the fare adjustment affected several operators, with industry stakeholders attributing the increase to rising costs and declining cash flow within the aviation sector.

According to available fare listings, United Nigeria Airlines fixed its minimum base fare at N200,000 across routes, while Air Peace raised its one-way ticket prices to about N211,600. Ibom Air also adjusted its fares upward to approximately N200,300.

However, some airlines are yet to implement similar increases. Arik Air maintained fares between N113,000 and N114,000 for Abuja-Lagos routes, while Aero Contractors retained fares ranging from N123,127 to N146,702 on selected routes. ValueJet’s fares currently range between N118,571 and N132,857 for Lagos-Abuja flights.

The development comes as aviation fuel, also known as Jet A1, now sells for about N2,650 per litre at some airports nationwide, further intensifying pressure on airline operators.

Industry sources disclosed that the fare hike became necessary to keep airlines afloat amid escalating operational expenses.

An airline official, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to comment publicly, said the decision was reached after extensive consultations and careful consideration of prevailing economic conditions.

“We have adjusted our minimum fares to N200,000 per flight irrespective of the route. This decision was taken with great difficulty after considering several factors,” the source said.

The official added that airlines could no longer sustain the cost burden created by the current price of aviation fuel, warning that continued losses could trigger a major crisis in the industry.

“We cannot continue to subsidise travellers under the current Jet A1 situation. Cash flows have dried up and debts are increasing,” the source stated.

The source also clarified that the airlines did not jointly agree on the fare increase, noting that each operator independently reviewed its pricing structure based on its operational realities.

The Federal Government had earlier promised intervention measures to cushion the impact of rising aviation fuel prices on domestic carriers, but operators say no concrete action has been implemented so far.