Travellers sceptical about budget air tickets

Travellers sceptical about budget air tickets

The continued slashes in the prices of
air tickets by some domestic carriers have triggered mixed reactions
among passengers and industry professionals.

This is coming after last week’s
announcement of a new airfare of N3,000 to be booked online by
travellers across all domestic routes covered by Aero Contractors – one
of the oldest carriers in the country involved in domestic and regional
transport business.

With an average of N16,000 for an hour
one-way flight in the country, the recent introduction of promo
airfares by domestic carriers like Dana Air, Nigerian Eagle Airlines
and Aero have no doubt increased the number of air travellers, but the
situation has also led to series of complaints from passengers who
claim that some of the airlines fail to provide enough seats for
travellers with low cost tickets.

“After booking online for N6,000, I
almost missed the flight because the flight was overbooked with
preference given to people that paid the regular amount; so talking
about N3,000 is practically impossible,” said Yemi Samuel, an Abuja
bound passenger at the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2 (MMA2),

Lagos.

Hot air

Mrs. Samuel argued
that for any scheduled flight, the airline involved should ensure that
it get the accurate number of passengers who booked online and those
that purchased tickets from either agents or ticketing and reservation
officers, so as not to cause confusion and “unnecessary delays” to
travellers.

Expressing his
doubts as pertaining low cost tickets, another traveller, Nwabueze
Godswil, who admitted to have benefitted “once” from reduced air
tickets in the past, disclosed that his second experience trying to
travel with a low cost ticket was “regretful.”

“I got to the
airport as usual but was told that I can’t fly because the aircraft is
filled, while I saw some passengers boarding,” he said. “Tell me if
such can happen to someone who paid N5,000, what then is the fate of a
person who books the N3,000 advertised ticket.”

Mr. Godswill,
however, called for safety of lives and properties, adding that though
the reduced rates are to attract customers, the airlines should not
compromise on their services in a bid to woo clients.

It would be
recalled that Aero last year introduced reduced fares of N8,000 for an
hour one-way flight, and later in the same year dropped the rate to
N5,000, while Nigerian Eagle Airlines, formerly Virgin Nigeria,
announced mid last month its low cost ticket of N4,999 on all its
domestic routes when purchased at any of Silverbird cinemas nationwide.

Not long enough
after Virgin’s promo airfares, Aero came up with its N3,000 ticket, a
development which travellers described as an act aimed at retaining its
customers.

Civil Aviation Authority position

Commenting on the
development, Sam Adurogboye, the media head for the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority (NCAA) disclosed that the authority does not
regulate whatever amount is decided by an airline to sell its tickets.

“Airfares have been
deregulated so they (airlines) are free to advertise,” he said. “Why
not wait and see if the fares are feasible or not.?”

Mr. Adurogboye,
however, assured passengers that the authority will not compromise on
the stipulated standards when it comes to safety and security of lives,
adding that any defaulting carrier will not be spared.

“The NCAA in line with the 2001 Civil Aviation Policy is required to
check predatory practices by airlines,” he said. “Anyone found wanting
will definitely face the consequences.”

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One comment

  1. Bar. Ogundipe Olugbenga says:

    Infact, its an healthy competition in the Avaition Industry, But, caustion must be observed because failure to meet up with promo promises as advertized would result to an obvious breach of contract . Btw the Airline and any customer who have purchased such tickets and was dissapointed at the Airports. Nigerians must be sensitized with exploring legal means at puting merger organisation such as these Airlines, on thier toes. If remedies are sought from Court of Law no matter whether u pay a cheap price for air ticket or not, you desire compensation for the dissapointment and what its has cost you .The Aero promo, is actionable in this circumstance,only if Nigerians wake up to thier rights and stop complaining and leaving these flaws to God. It is part of development in the Aviation Industry. Law develops the Economy.

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