As domestic airfares reach record heights this festive period, Yinka Folami, the President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), has called for an urgent, professional audit of ticket pricing to protect the Nigerian traveling public.

Speaking on Mainland FM, Folami addressed the controversial claim that 18 different government taxes are responsible for the surge in domestic flight costs. While acknowledging the difficult operating environment for airlines, he urged stakeholders to move away from “personality-driven” debates and focus on technical transparency.

He stated that such a structure raises legitimate questions around pricing arbitrariness and transparency, particularly given the original intent of YQ/YR charges as emergency-related measures.

YQ/YR are industry codes for carrier-imposed surcharges, not government taxes, used by airlines to add fees for fuel, security, and other rising operational costs to the base fare, often making up a significant portion of the ticket price, especially on award tickets where they are passed directly to passengers.

These codes allow airlines to adjust pricing dynamically, but the exact breakdown of what they cover (like fuel vs. insurance) is often undisclosed by the airline.

The NANTA President provided a breakdown of a typical N360,000 domestic ticket.

To illustrate the concern, the President referenced a sample domestic ticket where:Total fare: N360,000, airport tax: N9,000, government sales tax: N16,700, basic airline fare: N46,300, YQ/YR surcharge: N288,000.

He stated that such a structure raises legitimate questions around pricing arbitrariness and transparency, particularly given the original intent of YQ/YR charges as emergency-related measures.

He noted that while government taxes (NG) and airport fees (QT) remain relatively low, the “YQ/YR” surcharges—often designated for fuel or security emergencies—frequently account for up to 80 percent of the total fare.

“Government taxes do not change between June and December,” Folami explained.

“Yet fares rise significantly during peak seasons such as December.

For example, routes that cost between N145,000–N155,000 mid-year for a one-way ticket often rise to N250,000–N350,000 in December.

These same fares (for one-way tickets) typically drop again to N125,000–N145,000 by January or February,” he explained.

From this, he concluded that seasonal price increases are driven by market and operational factors, such as demand patterns and load management, rather than changes in government taxes.

NANTA, representing the downstream trade with over 50 years of industry experience, stated that the “18-tax” assertion is unfamiliar to practitioners. Consequently, Folami recommended:

A Methodical Audit: A transparent breakdown of every ticket component by the National Assembly and relevant authorities.

Read also: Yuletide: Reps decry high airfares, ask FG to cut aviation taxes by 50%

Consumer Protection: Balancing support for local airlines with the responsibility to ensure fair pricing.

End to Speculation: Providing the public with facts to douse the growing frustration over “arbitrary” pricing.

“Aviation is a lifeline for national connectivity,” Folami concluded. “We must build an equity-driven ecosystem that is both sustainable for airlines and sensitive to the consumer.” (BusinessDay)

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