As the holiday season draws near, Aero Contractors has introduced a minimum ticket price of N80,000 for all local flights.

The move, which will last until January 2024, aims to ease the financial burden on Nigerians amid the high cost of living.

Ado Sanusi, Managing Director of Aero Contractors, made the announcement on Tuesday during a press briefing, describing the fare reduction as a gesture to help Nigerians celebrate Christmas and the New Year without the stress of steep ticket prices.

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Sanusi said, “We understand the economic hardship Nigerians are facing, especially with high ticket prices, and we know the holiday season is nearby.

“In the spirit of Christmas, Aero Contractors has introduced what we call pocket-friendly Christmas prices. These fares, starting at N80,000, will apply to all our destinations, allowing Nigerians to travel without excessive costs.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, an economy class ticket from Lagos to Abuja was priced at N99,643, while business class tickets were being sold for N189,167.

Sanusi further explained that the initiative was designed to make it easier for families to reunite during the holidays.

“This is a way for us, as an organization with a long history of serving Nigerians, to give back to our loyal customers. We want to make it possible for families to meet their loved ones during this festive season without worrying about exorbitant travel costs,” he added.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has highlighted that every aircraft flying into or out of Nigeria, including those belong the military and influential individuals or corporate bodies, must first secure the clearance of relevant agencies.

Keyamo made the assertion on Sunday, as he featured as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

The minister specifically mentioned the Founder and Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Bible Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, while making the clarification.

Recall that the House of Representatives had called for a revocation of airstrip licences issued to certain individuals and private organisations, including Oyedepo’s church, citing security reasons.

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However, Keyamo insisted that there was no way a plane or drone, even if it belongs to the military, can leave or come into Nigeria without first getting a nod from the relevant aviation agency.

On if the airstrip of Oyedepo would also be subject to the same due process, Keyamo nodded.

In his words, “Oh yes, absolutely. That’s no problem. They were only concerned about the fact that they thought that somebody can take off from a private airstrip and fly out of Nigeria or fly into Nigeria. It is not possible.

“You must land in an international airport first. Then the Customs, immigration and NDLEA will process you before you take off from there to your private airstrip. If you are also flying out, you must land at an international airport. You will go through Customs, immigration and all the normal process before flying out.

“So nobody uses an airstrip for any such purpose without seeking clearance. At every point in time, the authorities must approve.”

On the number of airstrips Nigeria is operating at the moment, Keyamo said they are in the range of 40.

“We have a number of them, more than 40. For the federal airport, we have 23. The state airport has about eight or nine now.

“And then, the airstrips are about 40 or thereabouts. I have been there myself,” he stated.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced stringent measures against pilots and crew members who work for multiple airlines concurrently, a practice it describes as a serious safety violation.

In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Acting Director-General, Chris Nojomo warned that pilots operating for more than one airline without specific safety protocols pose significant risks to Nigeria’s aviation sector.

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The directive, titled “Prohibition of Ad-Hoc Flight Operators for Multiple Airlines,” noted that NCAA surveillance reports revealed multiple cases of unauthorized cross-airline work by flight crews, which the agency now plans to address.

According to the NCAA, simulator and proficiency checks endorsed on a pilot’s license are valid only for the specific airline and training program under which they were issued.

The letter stated, “With effect from the date of issuance of this directive, all operators and holders of pilot licenses are informed that this action will be treated as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”

The NCAA’s new policy, effective November 11, 2024, warns that violators will face strict enforcement actions. Moving forward, simulator renewals will also be filed directly with individual operators, further tightening the agency’s oversight.