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Summer: Airlines may double fares on foreign routes

By BusinessNews Staff on July 12, 2014

Air travellers to overseas destinations this summer should prepare to pay more for tickets as indications have emerged that the airlines may double the airfares on popular routes.

Airfaresfor journeys from Nigeria to some foreign destinations have recorded significant increase in the last few weeks, with some routes attracting about 92 per cent rise on the previous prices.

This, according to experts and operators, is largely as a result of the onset of the summer period and the increase in the demand for tickets to choice destinations around the world for the summer holidays.

Travel agents say this is a period when the airlines make gains following the reduced patronage recorded during the low season, which is usually characterised by empty seats and low fares to attract passengers.

Thus, passengers travelling from Nigeria to some major cities around the world have in the last few weeks been paying more for their airfares, with the cost rising by over 70 per cent.

Investigations by our correspondent showed a general increase in the demand for tickets at this time of the year, especially by medium and high income earners, who preferred to take a break from their busy schedules to observe the summer holidays.

From mid-June, a period that officially marks the onset of the summer period, an economy class return ticket from Lagos to London sold for between N240,000 and N300,000 depending on the airline and the time of booking.

This amount represents almost double the fares of between N120,000 and N160,000 charged by the major airlines on the same route during the low season.

Specifically, it represents 92 per cent increase.

A low season in aviation parlance refers to the period outside the summer season, usually from mid-October to May.

Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Arik Air and British Airways are some of the major airlines that ply the Lagos-London route.

Also, for a return trip to South Africa from Lagos, intending economy class passengers are now required to pay as much as N200,000, which represents an increase of about N80,000 or 67 per cent over the N120,000 that was being charged before the advent of the summer period, while an economy class ticket from Lagos to Dubai now goes for between N180,000 and N200,000, up from between N100,000 and N120,000 charged a few months ago.

This represents 72 per cent increase.

Miss. Bukola Ojulari, a university student who just returned to Nigeria from London to spend the break with her family, said that it was normal for fares to rise during this period, adding that she paid about £890 (N250,000) for a return ticket to Lagos.

She said, “I completed my first degree in London, and I am doing my Master’s, I come home for summer every two years and the situation is always the same; the prices always go up at this period. It is not only from Nigeria that people will be travelling, passengers will also be coming into the country; so, it is a two-way thing.

“You know, like me, a lot of Nigerians are studying abroad, and since this is the period of the long holidays, there is bound to be greater traffic into the country until around August to September. Also, foreigners here will choose this time to go and meet up with their families in different countries, thus the increase in prices.”

The Chief Executive Officer, Gadeshire Travels and Tours, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, said the summer period was a time when airlines jostled to make gains.

“Usually, airlines take this period to make up for the losses they have incurred over the months. Mostly, you will notice that fares rise at this period and the planes are usually filled up. It is the high season also referred to as the peak period in aviation,” he explained.

[Punch]

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