Airlines cancel flights over low patronage, apathy
A number of flights were this week cancelled over low patronage on some of the recently opened routes. Following the early success on the Lagos and Abuja corridors, more airports have resumed operations but without the airlines having flights on the routes. The Guardian learnt that although Kaduna Airport has resumed, it was yet to receive flights. At least three airlines cancelled their sole flight to Kaduna yesterday, just like on Wednesday, due to low passenger turnout.
Sanusi, however, said that “the modest traffic” was expected at the early stages of resumption after three months of COVID-19-induced lockdown.
“May I suggest that where airlines are not ready for code-sharing on domestic routes, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), could designate two to a maximum of three different airlines to operate on alternative days. “If the passenger traffic continues the way it’s been in the last few days, the industry could suffer more recessions than it is already suffering and will lose the confidence of the public and whatever palliative government applies would end up as wastes,” he said.
