The cost of international airfares is set to increase as airport and air navigation services providers in the United Kingdom, South Africa, European Union, Ethiopia and United States have concluded plans to increase their charges by at least $2.3bn.
The implication of this for Nigerians and other air travellers is that they may have to pay more for international flights by international airlines operating flights into Nigeria.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has, however, expressed fears that the planned increase could stall post the COVID-19 recovery in air travel and damage international connectivity.
According to IATA, confirmed airport and ANSP charges have already reached $2.3bn and could increase by over 10 times if proposals already tabled by airports and ANSPs are granted.
The Director-General of IATA, Willie Walsh, who made this known at the 77th Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Boston, USA, said it was wrong for airports and air navigation services providers to increase their charges at a time the industry was seeking to recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19.
He described the $2.3 billion charges increase at this time as “outrageous,” noting that placing the financial burden of a crisis of apocalyptic proportions on the backs of customers, just because they can, is a commercial strategy that only a monopoly could dream up.
“At an absolute minimum, cost reduction – not charges increases – must be top of the agenda for every airport and ANSP. It is for their customer airlines,” he added.
Walsh cited the example of the 29 European air navigation service providers, majority of which are state-owned, who are collectively looking to recoup almost $9.3 billion from airlines to cover revenues not realised in 2020/2021 when airlines were unable to fly during the pandemic.
“Moreover, they want to do this in addition to a 40 per cent increase planned for 2022 alone.”
Others, according to him include: Heathrow Airport pushing to increase charges by over 90 per cent in 2022; Amsterdam Schiphol Airport requesting to increase charges by over 40 per cent over the next three years; Airports Company South Africa asking to increase charges by 38 per cent in 2022; NavCanada increasing charges by 30 percent over five years; and Ethiopian ANSP raising charges by 35 per cent in 2021.
