Yuletide Travel: Soaring Airfares and Insecurity Put Brakes on Nigerians’ Holiday Plans

As the festive season approaches, many Nigerians are abandoning their traditional Christmas travels due to a combination of sky-high airfares and the increasing insecurity along the nation’s roads.

With road travel fraught with the dangers of kidnapping, robbery, and accidents, and flight tickets climbing beyond the reach of many, the desire to visit family and friends during the holidays is being suppressed.

Plane tickets have surged to alarming prices, leaving many unable to afford flights, while road travel has become more perilous, with highway criminals capitalizing on the prevailing instability.

Babatunde Adeniji, an aviation management consultant, stressed the urgent need for citizens to advocate for improved security across the country, highlighting the government’s inadequate focus on ensuring safety.

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“We need to empower security agencies and hold them accountable. Until we see real change, security will remain a significant challenge for travelers,” he said.

Despite the addition of new aircraft to Nigerian airlines’ fleets, there has been little relief for passengers.

The increased number of planes was expected to alleviate the pressure on airfares, but operational and maintenance costs continue to drive ticket prices higher.

Air Peace, one of Nigeria’s leading carriers, lists one-way economy class tickets from Lagos to Abuja at approximately N130,000, with fares to destinations such as Enugu, Owerri, and Port Harcourt rising to as much as N170,000. United Nigeria Airlines has also raised fares, with economy class tickets now ranging from N180,000 to N350,000, depending on the route.

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John Ojikutu, an aviation expert and CEO of Centurion Aviation, pointed to the volatile naira and the ongoing high fuel prices as key drivers of these increases.

“Until Nigeria can produce its own fuel and stabilize its currency, airfares will continue to climb,” Ojikutu explained.

As the cost of air travel becomes unaffordable for many Nigerians, coupled with the threats of insecurity on the roads, the festive season promises to be a quiet one for travelers, with fewer Nigerians venturing out for family reunions and holidays.