Fuel Scarcity: Travellers stranded as Nigerian airlines reschedule flights

*Several domestic airlines have rescheduled some of their flights recently, and the development leaves hundreds of travellers stranded at various airports across the West African country

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As long fuel queues gradually thin out at several filling stations across the country, fuel scarcity confronting the aviation sector of the economy seems unending as several morning flights were rescheduled Monday, March 14, 2022.

ConsumerConnect gathered that Air Peace, Dana Air, Ibom Air, Arik Air, Azman and Max Air among other domestic airlines have some of their morning flights rescheduled in the morning Monday, March 14, 2022, while the situation left hundreds of travellers stranded at various airports in Nigeria.

At the Murtala Muhammed Airport, in Ikeja, Lagos State, for instance, it was learnt that there was chaos at the domestic terminals Monday morning as early as 5.10a.m., when passengers started arriving at the airport.

Virtually all the domestic airlines had rescheduled their flights, sources said.

Earlier, reports had indicated that aviation fuel has hit N600 per litre in Lagos for the first time since the petroleum product scarcity started recently.

Though the aviation fuel had been selling for N600 outside Lagos, especially in the Northern parts of Nigeria, while it was around N575-N579 as of last week, this is the first time it would hit N600 since the scarcity and price hike started, report said.

According to Airlines Operators of Nigeria (AON), this development has left several airline operators in a difficult situation with the reported drastic increase in the high cost of their operations.

Passengers have become victims of the present circumstances as several flights are now being rescheduled, delayed for hours, and often times cancelled.

Due to these recent events, several passengers at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Lagos were stranded.

It was also gathered that other airlines were busy attending to passengers that had their flights hitherto rescheduled in the last few days.

Recall that the House of Representatives in the National Assembly (NASS), in Abuja, FCT, recently intervened in the Jet A1 scarcity by summoning Malam Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited as well as the local airline operators and regulatory authorities in the aviation industry.

In spite of this intervention, the Jet A1 shortage problem has not subsided has yet to improve as aviation fuel marketers are expected to meet with the Federal lawmakers later this week.