The diaspora travelers felt the pinch the most. They were coming back to Nigeria from places like Europe and the U.S., hoping to get to various spots within Nigeria, but the plane shortages left them stranded.
Airline websites were showing that flights to popular local spots like Asaba, Anambra, Owerri, and Port Harcourt were completely booked from mid-December through early January.
While this was a missed opportunity for the airlines, it turned out to be a jackpot for road transport companies, who happily provided premium charter services to these travelers, cashing in big time.
“Many of my clients that returned from abroad could not get tickets to travel this year as airlines operated few flight frequencies to secondary airports like Asaba, Anambra, Owerri, Calabar, Enugu and Benin. Sadly, these were the highly sought-after destinations but capacity was a problem,” said Ndukwe Ginika Ogechi, the CEO of Geena Travels and Tours Limited, in an interview with BusinessDay.
Ndukwe mentioned that some clients who couldn’t get flights to these places ended up paying for premium charter services from reliable road transport companies that took them from Lagos or Abuja to their hometowns.
She also pointed out that clients who faced frequent flight delays and cancellations turned to charter road transport services as well, and many had to reach out to the airlines for refunds.
Flight Delays
For those who did manage to get air tickets, BusinessDay found out that flight delays and cancellations left many stranded, prompting them to seek assistance from the airlines and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Data from the NCAA revealed that out of 10,804 flights in September and October 2024, around 5,225 were delayed, which is about 48.4 percent of the total. There were also 190 flight cancellations.
In September 2024, there were about 5,291 domestic flights, with 2,434 delays and 79 cancellations.
In October 2024, around 5,513 flights were operated, with 2,791 delays and 111 cancellations reported.
Road Transport ‘Charter Galore’
Kelechi Korieocha, co-founder of PKO Transport, described December as a ‘charter galore’ time for the company, with over 60 percent of their buses and Sienna vehicles booked for charter services.
“We had over 12 families who came from abroad requesting for charter services that would convey them from Lagos to their various home towns. Most of them had complained to us that they could not secure flight to their various destinations. We were quite happy with the remittances that came from diaspora passengers alone this year,” Korieocha said.
He also mentioned that the charter services they ran in December were more than twice what they had two years back.
Loans to Fill Aircraft Gaps
BusinessDay reported in December 2024 that the current number of aircraft wasn’t enough to meet the Christmas demand, leading to more flight cancellations and delays at various destinations, even with increased capacity.
A couple of months ago, operators turned to loans and partnerships to bring in more planes to support local routes during the holiday season, as there was a noticeable surge in passengers due to a shortage of aircraft nationwide.
Just three weeks prior, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) indicated that 10 new airplanes were set to arrive in Nigeria to help ease the holiday flight pressure and prevent chaos at the country’s airports.
However, it was found that demand still outstripped supply, with airlines struggling to transport all their passengers, resulting in a high number of flight delays and cancellations.
On top of the fleet issues, the harmattan haze made it tough for pilots to take off and land on time, further complicating the situation with delays and cancellations.
Passenger Experience
Udo Peace, a passenger from London, couldn’t find a flight to Imo State for herself and her four kids, so she ended up hiring a bus from a well-known transport company to get to her hometown in Arondizuogu, Imo State.
“All efforts to get a flight for myself and family was futile as either the flights were fully booked or they had two or three seats which were sold at very exorbitant prices. I was worried about road transportation because of insecurity, but I was left with no option. I gave it a try and I’m happy I did,” Peace said.
Michael Achimugu, the director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, recently acknowledged the refund requests from multiple passengers due to flight delays and cancellations. He assured that the authority is committed to making sure every passenger receives their refunds without fail.
“I walked into the scene one evening while trying to catch a flight myself. Passengers were really angry and threatening to become violent. I insisted that the airline provide transportation back to the central area for all passengers.
“I personally paid for nearby accommodation for a few elderly passengers who looked too weak after the lengthy wait. The airline agreed to pay 50 percent compensation to the passengers and agreed to also refund those who sought refunds. I told the passengers that they could redeem that 50 percent by cash rather than rebate if they wanted,” Achimugu said.
NCAA's Enforcement Actions
The NCAA has taken action against five airlines due to issues like flight delays, cancellations, not refunding fares, and lost luggage, among other problems.
For more than a year, there have been worries from stakeholders about overcrowded flights because airlines have cut back on their fleets due to high maintenance costs.
Some airlines that sent their planes for maintenance can't bring them back because of soaring costs linked to foreign exchange shortages. Others have been compelled by the NCAA to keep their planes grounded because they couldn't get them serviced, according to BusinessDay's findings.