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 lowest 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.

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.”

Source: 234next.com