Bankole Bernard, the Chairman, Association of Airline Training Organisation of Nigeria, has predicted an increase in the cost of flight tickets in Nigeria.
Some passengers claimed they paid between N70,000 to N100,000 for a one-way trip from Lagos to Abuja last week.
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It was between N25,000 and N35,000 before the increase in the price of aviation fuel some five months ago.
But speaking on Channels Television on Monday, Bernard said the ticket prices would increase further in the coming days following the free fall of naira.
As of last Friday, it was N710 to a dollar and the aviation expert said the sector is affected by the scarcity of dollars.
He said, “There is nothing we can do about the price of tickets going up. The reality on the ground is that practically everything in the aviation sector is foreign currency denominated.
“The only thing is that it’s being converted to our local currency and we trade on it.
“As it is, we have a shortage of foreign exchange and there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. The aviation fuel is imported and it’s foreign currency denominated.
“How are they going to sell at a price that will be suitable for the airlines? The airline in return can not sell their tickets at a price that will be suited to the passengers.
“The reality we all have to face is the fact that the cost of air tickets will go up and we are all going to be affected by it.”
He said the government can only intervene by waving off some of its flight charges in order to reduce the price of air tickets.
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