The high cost of aviation fuel which currently stand at N700 per litre has forced the Airline Operators of Nigeria to shutdown operations with effect from Monday next week.
While the operators decried the skyrocketed cost of aviation fuel, they
sympathized with the passengers, saying the current situation with Jet A1 has shot up the cost of operations to over 95 percent which they can no longer cope.
The Operators stated this in a letter by its President, Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, sent to the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.
Chief executives of all domestic airlines endorsed the letter.
The letter read: “It is with a great sense of responsibility and patriotism that the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have carried on deploying and subsidizing their services to our highly esteemed Nigerian flying public in the last four months despite the steady and astronomical hike in the price of JetA1 and other operating costs.
The letter described the current cost of N700 per litre as a “sudden shock” that cannot e absorbed by any airline anywhere in the world.
“While aviation fuel worldwide is said to cost about 40% of an airline’s operating cost globally, the present hike has shut up Nigeria’s operating cost to about 95%.
“In the face of this, airlines have engaged the Federal Government, the National Assembly, NNPC and Oil Marketers with the view to bringing the cost of JetA1 down which has currently made the unit cost per seat for a one hour flight in Nigeria today to an average of N120,000.
“The latter cannot be fully passed to passengers who are already experiencing a lot of difficulties.
“While AON appreciates the efforts of the current government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure air transport in Nigeria grows, unfortunately, the cost of aviation fuel has continued to rise unabated thereby creating huge pressure on the sustainability of operations and financial viability of the airlines. This is unsustainable and the airlines can no longer absorb the pressure.
The letter formally announced that Airline Operators of Nigeria will shut down operations from Monday, 9th May, 2022 while they regretted inconveniences this would cause the passengers.
