The Chairman of Air Peace, Dr. Allen Onyema, has called on President Bola Tinubu to grant aviation stakeholders an audience, warning that multiple taxes and charges imposed on operators could threaten the survival of domestic airlines.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Onyema described Nigeria’s aviation industry as one of the most challenging environments for airline operations. He cited high borrowing costs, insurance premiums, aircraft acquisition expenses, and regulatory charges as major obstacles facing operators.
Defending the cost of domestic air travel, Onyema maintained that Nigerian airlines offer some of the cheapest airfares globally despite the difficult operating conditions.
The Air Peace boss noted that while many foreign airlines acquire aircraft through low-interest leasing arrangements, Nigerian operators often purchase aircraft outright and obtain loans at interest rates exceeding 30 percent.
He further stated that some domestic routes still offer fares as low as ₦95,000, which translates to less than 60 US dollars.
