Yuletide Rush: Reactions As Domestic Airfares Hit N822,000

No Result View All Result Home News Politics Business Sport Football Health Entertainment Education Opinion Editorial Columns Others LeVogue Magazine Conferences National Economy Contact Us Hausa Edition Home News Politics Business Sport Football Health Entertainment Education Opinion Editorial Columns Others LeVogue Magazine Conferences National Economy Contact Us No Result View All Result No Result View All Result Yuletide Rush: Reactions As Domestic Airfares Hit N822,000 by Yusuf Babalola 2 minutes ago in Business Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram Airfares on major domestic routes have surged ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, with return tickets hitting N822,000 as limited airline capacity struggles to accommodate rising passenger demand, particularly on routes connecting Lagos and Abuja to the South-East and South-South

A check of airline fares by LEADERSHIP showed that passengers travelling from Lagos to Anambra on Air Peace between December 24, 2026, and January 2, 2027, would pay N676,000 for a return ticket, comprising N341,500 for the outbound flight and N335,500 for the return journey.

LEADERSHIP checks further showed that the airline restricted access to lower-fare inventories, making it difficult for passengers to determine whether quoted ticket prices apply to economy or business class.

Similarly, a return ticket from Abuja to Anambra on the airline costs N677,000, with the first leg priced at N335,500 and the return trip at N341,500.

For passengers travelling from Lagos to Owerri during the same period, Air Peace charges N671,000 for a return ticket, with each leg costing approximately N335,500.

The fares are even higher on United Nigeria Airlines, where a return ticket from Lagos to Anambra between December 22, 2026, and January 2, 2027, costs N822,000. The outbound flight is priced at N511,000, while the return journey costs N311,000.

The airline’s Abuja-Anambra return fare stands at N757,000, comprising N411,000 for the first leg and N346,000 for the return trip.

Other destinations are also recording significant increases, with United Nigeria Airlines charging N656,000 for a return ticket from Lagos to Enugu and N682,000 for a return ticket from Lagos to Owerri.

Similarly, ValueJet’s return fare from Lagos to Owerri during the period under review is approximately N658,094, comprising N326,666 for the outbound flight and N331,428 for the return journey.

Similarly, on the South-southern routes, the airfares for Lagos-Port Harcourt and Abuja-Port Harcourt routes between December 25, 2026, and January 2, 2027, stand at N311,000 for the outbound journey and another N311,000 for the return leg, bringing the total round-trip fare to N622,000.

Also, Lagos-Asaba tickets cost N337,500 for the outbound journey and N341,500 for the return trip, bringing the total fare to N679,000.

The surge in fares has renewed concerns about the affordability of domestic air travel, particularly for Nigerians travelling to the South-East and South-South to celebrate Christmas, attend family reunions, weddings, burial ceremonies, and other social activities.

Aviation experts who spoke with LEADERSHIP attributed the development largely to increased passenger demand, inadequate airline capacity, insecurity along major highways and the concentration of festive-season travel on a few routes.

However, they expressed divergent views on the justification for the high fares, with some arguing that airlines were exploiting predictable seasonal demand, while others maintained that deregulation and market forces largely determine ticket prices.

An aviation analyst, Dr James Odaudu, said the sharp increase in airfares during festive periods, particularly on routes serving the South-East and South-South, was largely driven by the imbalance between rising passenger demand and limited flight capacity.

He explained that the Christmas and New Year celebrations traditionally trigger a significant increase in passenger traffic as Nigerians return to their communities for family reunions, cultural activities and other social engagements.

According to him, the available number of airlines and seats serving some of these destinations is often insufficient to accommodate the increased demand, creating an opportunity for operators to raise fares substantially.

Odaudu said, “The sharp increase in airfares during festive periods, particularly on routes serving the South-South and South-East, largely stems from the interplay of increased passenger demand and limited flight capacity.

“During festive seasons, travel surges as people return to their communities for family reunions, celebrations, and other social engagements. Unfortunately, the number of airlines and available seats serving some of these destinations is often inadequate to accommodate the increased demand.

“This imbalance between demand and supply creates an opportunity for airlines to raise fares, sometimes by as much as 200 per cent. However, while seasonal fare adjustments are understandable within a liberalised market economy, it would be difficult to completely absolve some airlines of exploitative commercial practices, particularly where they appear to take undue advantage of predictable seasonal demand.

“Airlines are entitled to operate profitably and respond to market conditions, but profitability should not justify excessive pricing or the exploitation of passengers.”

He identified poor road infrastructure and insecurity along major highways as additional factors contributing to the pressure on domestic airfares.

According to him, the deplorable condition of some federal highways, coupled with security challenges along major road corridors, has made road transportation increasingly unattractive and, in some instances, risky, forcing more travellers to opt for air transportation despite the high cost.

He said the situation had further increased pressure on an aviation market already constrained by limited capacity, particularly as passengers travelling for family and cultural obligations often have few alternatives.

Odaudu said, “Another important factor is the poor state of alternative transport infrastructure, particularly the deplorable condition of some federal highways, coupled with insecurity along major road corridors. These challenges have made road travel increasingly unattractive and, in some instances, risky, pushing more travellers to choose air transportation despite the high cost.

“This further increases pressure on an already constrained aviation market. In economic terms, travellers on these routes often have relatively inelastic demand, meaning those who must travel for family, cultural, or other obligations have few alternatives and may be compelled to pay whatever fares are demanded.

“The situation therefore raises legitimate concerns about competition, pricing practices and consumer protection.”

He called for increased airline capacity, improved route coverage, greater competition, better road infrastructure and enhanced security to address the recurring seasonal increase in airfares.

He also urged aviation regulatory authorities to ensure that market liberalisation did not translate into unchecked exploitation of passengers.

“Addressing the problem requires increased airline capacity, improved route coverage, greater competition, better road infrastructure, and enhanced security. The aviation regulatory authorities must also ensure that market liberalisation does not translate into unchecked exploitation of passengers.

“Ultimately, Nigerians deserve a competitive aviation market that balances operators’ commercial interests with the public interest and passengers’ right to affordable, accessible air transportation,” he added.

Also speaking, a former Nigerian Airways pilot, Captain Mohammed Gbadamasi, described the development as a consequence of the basic economic principle of demand and supply, arguing that airlines were responding to the increase in passenger traffic during the festive period.

He noted that the South-East and South-South, which are predominantly Christian geopolitical zones, witness significant movements during Christmas as people travel home not only to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ but also to attend burial ceremonies and other social events.

According to him, airlines understand the importance Nigerians attach to returning to their communities during the season and take advantage of the increased demand to maximise revenue.

Gbadamasi said, “It is simply economic principle.

“When demand surpasses supply, the price of the product increases.

“The South-East and the South-South are predominantly Christian geopolitical areas.

“The Christmas season is not restricted to the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s also reserved for other events, such as burial ceremonies.

“Airlines take advantage of the season to capitalise on this belief that they must travel to their various destinations in these regions.”

The former pilot further identified insecurity as a major factor influencing passengers’ preference for air transportation, particularly among travellers who can afford the higher fares.

He said that although many Nigerians who were unable to afford air tickets had no option but to travel by road, wealthier passengers were increasingly willing to pay more to avoid the security risks associated with road travel.

Gbadamasi, however, argued that government intervention in airline pricing would be difficult under the deregulated aviation market, insisting that demand and supply remained the major determinants of fares.

He said, “Insecurity has added to the preference for people to travel by air. Although many people who can’t afford airfare have no option than to travel by road. The elites will overlook the cost of the flight for their security.

“There’s nothing any authority can do to challenge the airlines because of the deregulation of the market. Only the demand and supply that can regulate the market.

“Record has shown that even the motor transport fares are not spared from the high cost of travelling across the country.”

He, however, suggested that state governments operating airlines could consider subsidising airfares during festive periods to reduce the financial burden on passengers.

He cited the Osun State Government’s provision of free road and rail transportation for indigenes travelling to and from the state during festive periods as a possible model for other state governments to consider.

Gbadamasi said, “As many states are floating airlines, it is possible that the governments of these states would subsidise airfare during the festive season, just like the Osun government does on the festive season by providing free road/rail travel to and from the state.”

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Centurion Aviation and Security Services, Captain John Ojikutu, faulted domestic airlines for increasing fares during the festive season, arguing that the high passenger traffic should ordinarily provide an opportunity for operators to attract more customers through competitive pricing.

He maintained that airlines should take advantage of the predictable increase in passenger numbers during Christmas by expanding their capacity and offering more affordable fares rather than imposing higher prices on travellers.

According to him, the movement of Nigerians from major commercial centres to their hometowns during the Yuletide is a recurring pattern that should be factored into airlines’ operational and capacity planning.

Ojikutu said, “These are people, more of them outside their areas than those of other geographical zones. They are mostly traders but have no population to service their trading at home than outside their homes. They have the tradition of returning home together during the Christmas Yuletide.

“But making the airfare high during the Xmas season with more passengers than the period with less passengers is a bad business plan by the domestic airlines.

“Bring down the price with more passengers make sense to me than increasing it over or above the fare with less passengers except you do not have the capacity to absorb the rise in the number of passengers. Less capacity to absorb the increase in number can only be the reason for the increase in fares.”

Ojikutu also raised concerns over the growing dependence of political office holders on private aircraft charters, arguing that the development raises questions about the distribution of available aviation capacity and the sustainability of domestic airline operations.

He noted that while Nigeria has a substantial number of private aircraft available for charter services, the fleet operated by scheduled domestic airlines remains relatively small compared with the country’s passenger traffic.

He said, “Remember too that the political office holders at the Federal and the States prefer now to go on private air charters than fly the domestic airlines.

“Note also that there are over 240 private airlines for charter, which the Senate President said recently are not sufficient for their (4,000 Fed/States Officials) needs, but 80 aircraft in the 15 domestic airlines’ fleet for over 6m domestic passengers.

“How many that are not government officials can pay for airfare on their own or how many of the government officials can pay for the chartered aircraft? Government pay for them all.”

The aviation expert further questioned the financial relationship between domestic airlines and government-owned commercial aviation service providers, alleging that some operators had benefited from debt reliefs, subsidies and intervention funds without fully meeting their financial obligations.

He argued that the government should also examine the aviation sector’s financial sustainability and ensure that airlines meet their obligations to service providers.

Ojikutu said, “How many of the domestic airlines pay fully and yearly their service charges to the government commercial services providers? Not all, because the government provides them with debt relief, subsidies, government intervention funds, etc. At the end, nothing gets to the government.”

He maintained that the recurring increases in festive-season airfares should be viewed not only as a pricing issue but also as a reflection of deeper structural challenges in the domestic aviation industry, including inadequate capacity, airline financing, and the relationship between operators and government service providers.

The experts called for measures to improve airline capacity, strengthen competition and address insecurity and poor road infrastructure, warning that without structural improvements, passengers travelling during peak periods would continue to bear the burden of rising transportation costs.

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Join Our WhatsApp Channel –> –> Yusuf Babalola Yusuf Babalola is a Senior Correspondent with Leadership Newspaper, specialising in maritime, aviation, transport, and economic reporting in Nigeria. He is recognised for well-researched stories that illuminate policy developments, industry challenges, and stakeholder perspectives across Nigeria’s logistics, shipping, and aviation sectors. His reporting is noted for its clarity, balance, and commitment to professional journalistic standards.