As Nigeria’s Christmas journey season takes flight, a stark new monetary frontier is rising within the nation’s skies: the price of home air journey has grow to be one of the crucial tangible measures of regional financial strain.
With demand peaking and capability stretched skinny, passengers heading to sure states at the moment are paying premiums that eclipse the nationwide common a phenomenon that has turned in style vacation routes into among the most costly on the planet by native requirements.
Current transport fare information present that airfare inflation is erratically distributed. A handful of states, buoyed by excessive demand, restricted entry factors, and constrained flight schedules, at the moment are commanding ticket costs far increased than these of their neighbors.
A number of structural challenges contribute to those excessive fares. With solely about 0.02% of Nigeria’s inhabitants flying, airways battle to attain economies of scale.
Aviation stakeholders have defined that the seasonal spike is largely pushed by late bookings and excessive demand, a sample that repeats each festive interval. Airways additionally function a “bucket” pricing system, below which early passengers pay decrease fares, whereas costs rise as seats replenish.
In opposition to a backdrop of public outcry over doubling fares and authorities scrutiny of airline pricing, the rating of the most costly states to achieve by air this festive season gives a vital window into the broader dynamics reshaping Nigeria’s aviation market.
Methodology
This rating relies on a evaluate of scheduled home flights departing from Lagos, Nigeria’s busiest aviation hub, throughout the peak Christmas journey window. Fare information was compiled from main native air journey reserving platforms, specializing in obtainable economy-class tickets on lively routes operated by home carriers within the days main as much as Christmas.
Costs replicate one-way ticket prices, which offer a clearer comparability throughout locations, as round-trip fares can differ extensively relying on return dates and seat availability and are sometimes considerably increased throughout the festive rush. The place a number of flights had been obtainable on the identical route, common listed fares had been used to cut back distortions brought on by last-seat pricing.
Value-N149,420
Journey from Lagos to Abuja stays probably the most reasonably priced amongst Nigeria’s main home routes this Christmas season. One-way economy-class fares begin at N149,420, making it a budget-friendly choice for travellers heading to the nation’s capital.
The route is served by direct flights, with the quickest itinerary operated by United Nigeria Airways, departing Lagos at 19:00 and arriving in Abuja at 20:15, with a flight time of 1 hour quarter-hour.
Max air fare prices N150,000 for a similar route. For Airpeace the value seats at N145,000.
Comparatively low fares replicate the excessive frequency of flights on this hall, shorter distance, and sturdy competitors amongst carriers, making it one of many few routes the place passengers can keep away from premium vacation pricing.
