Air Peace Hikes Lagos-Abuja Ticket Prices to N200,000 Starting November

Air Peace has announced a significant fare increase, with one-way tickets for flights between Lagos and Abuja set to rise to N200,000 starting November 1, 2024. The hike comes amidst Nigeria’s deteriorating economic conditions, which have heavily impacted the aviation sector.

As airlines struggle with rising operational costs, passengers have been forced to grapple with escalating ticket prices. The sharp increase has led many Nigerians to abandon air travel in favor of road transport, despite the challenges associated with road travel.

A review of airline fares on Monday revealed that Air Peace’s N200,000 one-way ticket is currently the highest among domestic carriers. Comparatively, Aero tickets range between N94,000 and N109,000, Arik Air charges between N104,405 and N139,292, and Ibom Air’s fares fall between N124,000 and N133,000.

The surge in prices has left many travelers stranded at airports, particularly on the highly-trafficked Lagos-Abuja route. Passengers now struggle to secure seats, even as fares soar beyond reach for many.

An anonymous official from Air Peace confirmed the price hike, attributing it to the country’s economic downturn and the rising costs of operating an airline. “If you look at the breakdown of ticket costs, you’ll see we are barely surviving as a business. Running costs are skyrocketing, and the taxes imposed by the government are making it nearly impossible for airlines to operate profitably,” the official said.

Attempts to reach Air Peace’s Chief Operating Officer, Toyin Olajide, for comment were unsuccessful as she did not respond to calls or messages.

A businessman, Adeleke Aina, expressed frustration over the rising costs, saying he may be forced to switch to road travel. “The cost of flying is becoming unbearable. With fuel prices skyrocketing and no relief from the government, air travel is no longer a viable option for many of us,” Aina lamented.