File photo: Dangote Refinery
Domestic airline operators in Nigeria have welcomed the reduction in aviation fuel price by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, describing the move as a major relief for carriers battling rising operational costs and mounting financial pressure.
The operators said the reduction in the price of aviation fuel, also known as JetA1, would not only ease the burden on airlines but could also eventually translate into improved ease of doing business for the entire ecosystem if the trend is sustained.
Speaking with our correspondent about the development, United Nigeria Airlines spokesperson, Uloka Chibuike, said domestic airlines had long been operating at unsustainable margins despite public perception that ticket prices had increased significantly.
Chibuike said, “There was never an increase in airfares. If airlines still have ticket classes of N95,000, it simply means there was never any increase. Instead, airlines have been operating at a loss.”
