Air passengers in Nigeria are stranded at airports nationwide, as airline operators jostle for aviation fuel, amidst scarcity that is getting worse.
On Tuesday, the passengers, some of whom were on transit, waited endlessly for the departure hall. While few were lucky to later travel, others were later informed that their scheduled flights had been cancelled.
Aviation fuel, otherwise called Jet-A1, is a specialised type of petroleum-based fuel used to power aircraft and normally accounts for over 30 per cent of operation cost of an airline.
Jet-A1 is 100 per cent imported into Nigeria and subject to fluctuations in the foreign exchange market. In the last 12 months in Nigeria, aviation fuel has steadily climbed from N104 to N240 per litre in Lagos and as high as N270 in northern part of the country.
Flight delays and outright cancellations means that air travelers are unable to meet scheduled appointments at their respective destinations. In extreme cases, this may also result to huge loss of revenues for those hoping to seal some business deals.
At the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, for instance, about three out of every four flights were cancelled, with operators citing “operational reasons”.
The Guardian learnt that one of the airlines operating at the GAT, in fact, cancelled all flights on Monday, and left passengers to learn of the development on getting to the airport.
At the Murtala Muhammed Airport II (MMA2) Terminal, also in Lagos, airlines like First Nation, Med-View, Azman and Dana Air were carrying out services but behind schedule.
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