In the spirit of the season, Aero Contractors airlines, yesterday, disclosed about a 50 per cent slash in the prices of domestic airfares, with one-way Economy class tickets to sell for as low as N80,000 throughout the festive season.
Managing Director of the airlines, Capt. Ado Sanusi, yesterday in Lagos, said the promo fares were in honour of its loyal customers and general public itching to travel this season.
Sanusi explained that the N80,000 threshold was the outcome of an intensive survey by the sales department, despite cost-reflective concerns vis-a-vis the cut-throat operating cost in the industry.
With the cost of aviation fuel still an average of N1300/litre, an exchange rate of N1600/$1, and over 20 sundry taxes and charges on scheduled carriers, airlines have been offering a one-hour flight ticket for between N120,000 and N180,000. And with the festive peak period approaching, fears have heightened of a further price hike of N250,000 per one-way ticket.
Addressing journalists at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Sanusi said the airline currently prioritises giving back to customers across its network of operations.
He said: “We know what the people are going through because of the economic hardship and the prices of tickets considered to be very high. We at Aero Contractors have concluded to announce the Christmas initiative, which is pocket-friendly. These prices are designed to allow Nigerians to travel to all destinations without paying too much.
“We are in the spirit of giving, which Christmas embodies. We believe that as a company, this is a very old story of understanding our customers. We believe it is time for us to give back to them.”
Coming from the dead in 2021, the oldest airline in the country has lately recorded a major turnaround with a 14 per cent profit margin gathered this year.
Though it has retained its lean fleet size, the airline with the complement of its Lagos-based Maintenance and Repair Organisation (MRO), has also succeeded in narrowing its 69 per cent liabilities to 33 per cent to date.
Sanusi said: “This 14 per cent profit reflects the hard work and dedication of the Aero team to position the airline for sustainable growth.
“We have almost cleared all outstanding staff salaries, with just one month remaining. Reducing liabilities has been critical to our recovery process. These efforts align with the airline’s strategy to prepare for investor engagement and operational expansion,” Sanusi said. (The Guardian)
