BA/Virgin Atlantic airfares on Nigeria routes are the most expensive in the world? | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Tuesday 27 March 2012

BA/Virgin Atlantic airfares on Nigeria routes are the most expensive in the world?

According to the federal government, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic airfares on Nigerian routes are the most expensive in the world.

Now I hear that the Federal Government has given the two airlines 30 days ultimatum to reduce the exorbitant fares it charges Nigerians on its international flights or face serious sanctions or even a ban.

70 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mmmmhh..when are they going to impose a ban on all the Airlines that ply the domestic routes..forever late..and never compensate for the inconvenience..very expensive with an average price of $150....ye ye dey smell..

@Str8frmDaHips

Cynthia said...

I wonder what is soooooo special about them. Let them go jooorrr if they won't cut down their ticket fares. ThankGod they are not the only airlines!!!


linda what does *SMH* mean?

One Angry Woman said...

Ban the motherf*&*£rs!!! I tried to book a ticket today to Abuja from London in August via BA and the tw"$s were charging £1800 and only one piece of checked in luggage for an ECONOMY seat!!!

What a bunch of a$%£holes!! Can they try that on a New York route???

I hope Arik are still flying!!

Anonymous said...

I agree it's too expensive. I usually fly BA to Nigeria. This year there prices is ridiculously high especially now that it's off-peak season. I tried to get a round trip ticket and it was going for $1600 which is usually peak season price. I ended up using Lufthansa which has better service for $750 round-trip to Abuja.

Modupsy said...

About time!

Anonymous said...

That's a very good development..

Anonymous said...

mscheww! is the government just finding this out, awon idiots they better do sumtin fast and stop making mouth, toothless bulldogs

Jamb 2012 result said...

It is funny that Nigeria where things are a little bit hard is fcuking up. jamb 2012 results

Etisalat 2go cheats said...

30days is too much! I know i travel daily from la to ph and the fare is killing me! Now i know our government is working.

Anonymous said...

welcome development

Anonymous said...

Yes oooo.. Dats just wat it is.. Dis idiots take d piss on our intelligence..

mogjee said...

As in! Very exorbitant! Ws just tokin bout dis to my frnd 2 days ago! Pls dey should reduce itabeg! Because with this airfares,travelln has become a luxury not everybody can afford! Have u pple seen d airfares fr june/july,250k fr tiket,if u spnd so much on tiket,wt wd u v left fr accomodation n shopping!lmaoo! Its absolutely ridiculous!smthn must b done cs I'm rily pained bout dis issue

Anonymous said...

yayyyyy dacing azonto.30 days ultimatum.summer ti dun.wa gbayi FG

Oluwapeluwa said...

Thank God! At least they are coming out to critize but at the same time I can't help but ask why it took them this long †̥ say it. Pesin been dey chop for there, jare! Them sef get cabal, joor. Naija go beta again, join ♍ƺ shout, Amin!

ade said...

and on top of the exorbitant..lol...they are so effing rude!!!!
dang it nigeria. get well soon. And kick these idiots to competition of low prices

Admin said...

No matter the situation and condition, my prayer is for God to keep providing for us to enable us meet our daily needs and expenses... Shiekena!

Anonymous said...

That's fantastic may God bless the individuals in federal government who would push this further. It is a sad broad day light robbery that has lasted for years with nothing done about it. It amazing how a ticket from London to new York can cost as little as £350 yet take 8hours plus while the journey from London to Lagos takes 5hours 30mins yet cost over £1000 plus in for example Christmas period. It is so unfair!

Abi said...

Finally, phew, thank God. Common Ghana, these idiots charge half what they charge us here. They know the Ghanian Goverment would not take that shit from them. Well done our Govt!!!!

Anonymous said...

I am, the no Sender.

Kindly write to be understood. What do you mean you tried to book for a flight

Anonymous said...

I am, the no Sender.

Good. All it takes is balls. Finally, this government is begining to push its weight around. 30 days, abi? E no tey from today. Let's see if naija government can put their money where there mouth is. Waiting...

Anonymous said...

Niaja don dey change o!!!!! I have a dream dat 1 day real soon dat niaja will be a country and an economy to reckon wiv.. There is going to b a revolution that will bring about change, major change for dat matter!!

Anonymous said...

I dont know what website you were on but BA's allowance is 2 x 23kg luggage. And if your ticket was £1,800 - then it means they had run out of economy seats. That price sounds about right for a premium economy ticket. Not defending BA but let's get the facts right.

Anonymous said...

Most of your readers don't understand how free market economy works. The Federal governmrnt can't do nothing about airline charges. What government can do is to lower taxes on each ticket sold by airlines to Nigerians. I think there is about $500-$600 charges by the FAA on every ticket sold on flight from Lagos to the U.S. Tell your govt to sop the charges.

Anonymous said...

Abeg cry ur own cry and don't involve Ghana...common Ghana* can u imagine. Mtcheeew

Anonymous said...

This is a very stupid move. What happened to free enterprise? The government cannot tell private companies what to charge. People don't have to fly with these airlines. It is a choice.

Think about it, if these airlines get banned, it reduces competition among airlines that fly the same route. What's to stop the other airlines from raising their fares? What will be the next move? Ban all the airlines?

Anonymous said...

SMH: Shaking my head.

Anonymous said...

I think it means Shaking My Head, Like in disappointment. U cld google it too. Hope this helps. Xoxo

Likas Papaya Soap said...

Not cool. Profiteering because there's no structure here.
Likas Papaya Soap now available. 07058180008.

Anonymous said...

Why must the federal government interfere in this matter.... What happened to the appropriate body for avaition in Nigeria. Mtsheeeeew

Anonymous said...

U use Ba to ph?? Ode!!

Professor X said...

Nigeria aint gon do squat. Not with Britain's promise to deal with Nigeria high-handedly is any such ban takes place.

Anonymous said...

Cynthia *SMH* Shake My Head

Anonymous said...

Can we just pause for a second and think for the airlines? There are obviously paying a lot on their insurance being that our country is not the safest places in the world. So it is possible that the insurance premium on aircraft flying to Nigeria are so much higher hence the high fares. There I said it!!! Oya crucify me. hehehe!!!

Anonymous said...

SMH- Shaking My Head!!!

Anonymous said...

I tire o!!! Ha! God help us!

Femillionaire said...

I've always wondered why it is cheaper to fly from london to america which is longer than from london to nigeria. Don't know if the government has the capacity to force private businesses to fix their prices. Rather, I would think that nigerians should vote with their feet by patronizing other cheaper airlines...

Anonymous said...

but Arik air is not any cheaper...

Anonymous said...

Smh-shake my head...yinka

Anonymous said...

SMH means hissing or mscheew.

Proudly Igbo said...

Cynthia; ask Goggle! Let's see what will come out of this.

Anonymous said...

Lol @cynthia,it means *shaking ma head*

Critical observer said...

well its about time.. long over due sef! local airlines next please!!

Anonymous said...

But I go London with Arik for 134,000.
So everybody go carry Arik.

Anonymous said...

YES O.... God has heard us!!! Bastards...they have noooooo bases what so ever as to why its so ridiculously priced. A 6hrs flight from london to Lagos is nearly 3 times more than to US which is around 9hrs (the shortest). A Lagos flight is always ALWAYS full. So they are clearly making money and price fixing. The US flights are not like that.The cheating animals. I put all this to them in an email about 3yrs ago and i got a generic answer which did not address my points at all....but they did mention something about having to pay more in Nigeria because of fuel, airport tax, safety and some other political jargon. At the time it sounded like an excuse and also that there was more to it than it seemed, like the government or an agency is involved with these airlines to charge this way to make more money for their pockets.

really hope something is done, because now there just doesnt seem to be a low season anymore to travel to Lagos, 12 months a year the prices are absolutely ridiculous. I hope this isnt just some noise or someone is going to get paid to shut up. Bcos not so long ago these 2 same airlines were to be fined millions but we did not hear the outcome of that, if they were actually fined, cos the amount of money could have done something great in Nigeria.

JA

Anonymous said...

They should not ban them. We don't have enough indigenous carriers here. Arik Air is certainly not my cup of tea. Dialogue should be pursued instead of issuing threats. I know they will not bend to these threats and our Govt will end up with egg on its face at the end of the day.

Govt cannot fix prices for private operators. Its the law of demand and supply that works. Nigerians travel too much. Even during ordinary weekends (not public holidays) the planes are full. Our ajala travel is too much jare. If the demand drops, the prices will definitely fall!!

mimosa said...

really, its abt time.

nana said...

@ one angry woman, BA never charge 1800£ for economy even during Xmas so stop chatting shit.... by the way economy get 2 piece 0f 23kg checked in luggage so dont know wetin you dey yarn (eyes rolling)

Atobatele said...

This is one of those rare occasions that one has the feeling that maybe we do have some form of responsive government after all. There has been a historical catalog of mistreatment of Nigerian passengers by foreign airlines and their nationals. These include the fare, baggage allowance and the fact that ticket holders who paid in Naira are not accorded the same courtesies as those who paid in other currencies in case of delays or cancellations. We have had to suffer through these indignities which also include an apparent isolation and disregard for Nigerian bound passengers at some European airports irrespective of status. We have had to swallow these glaring insults that bother on racial or human right abuses, not because we deserve it but because of a feeling of helplessness and lack of concern by those entrusted with the responsibility to monitor and respond to these situations. It gladdens my heart therefore to learn that somebody is finally paying attention to the catalog of woes. I want to single out the aviation minister for praise for her current battles with the foreign airlines. Thank you for caring and please note that the problems you are trying to resolve are real and worth fighting for but represent a tip of the iceberg. Soldier on girl.

Anonymous said...

Thumb up FG, at least you can now think.

SUE JORDAN said...

until i see results...don't splash threats all over the front pages of newspapers, then we never hear from you again. Hon. Minister of Aviation, lets see how far you can break these cut throat airlines.

Anonymous said...

Shaking My Head.

Anonymous said...

It is very true, cost of flying to the UK from Nigeria using BA is much more expensive than any other country in the West African sub-region. Case in point - A lagos-london-lagos trip, outbound March 31st and returning April 8th is $4,924.56. The same trip from Accra on the same date is $2,954.72 a difference of $1,970.84
I just read in the papers this morning where BA claims "All of our fares are set on sound commercial basis and remain fully competitive with other carriers in the region" . And that they remain committed to Nigeria bla bla bla. Who are they deceiving? Who are they committed to? Have they not exploited us enough? I think our leaders are totally to blame for this. It is high time they did something and fast too. BA is and indeed the British need us. Has anyone ever stopped one moment to think about the amount of money the British High Commission makes from Nigerians applying for UK visa daily? tax free i must add, it is mind blowing. If we can be bold to call their bluff believe me they will come begging. These people together with our governments (past and present) have taken us for granted long enough.

Anonymous said...

It is very true, cost of flying to the UK from Nigeria using BA is much more expensive than any other country in the West African sub-region. Case in point - A lagos-london-lagos trip, outbound March 31st and returning April 8th is $4,924.56. The same trip from Accra on the same date is $2,954.72 a difference of $1,970.84
I just read in the papers this morning where BA claims "All of our fares are set on sound commercial basis and remain fully competitive with other carriers in the region" . And that they remain committed to Nigeria bla bla bla. Who are they deceiving? Who are they committed to? Have they not exploited us enough? I think our leaders are totally to blame for this. It is high time they did something and fast too. BA is and indeed the British need us. Has anyone ever stopped one moment to think about the amount of money the British High Commission makes from Nigerians applying for UK visa daily? tax free i must add, it is mind blowing. If we can be bold to call their bluff believe me they will come begging. These people together with our governments (past and present) have taken us for granted long enough.

Anonymous said...

I disagree with your point about the demand of air travel and put it to you that the demand of air travel from newyork to london is most def greater than that of lagos to london. Its probably the reason that BA have on average 10 flights from ny to london every and and just 2 from the entirety of Nigeria. The issue is simple, BA and virgin have a track record of colluding with respect to price setting especially in an environment where the govt doesn't seem to care about its citizens

Anonymous said...

Olodo she is talkn abt international fligts abi u don see BA d fly go PH

Anonymous said...

Nice one Federal Govt,they keep treating 9ja diff.Wetin we don them.God help us

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...30days too far o biko! i been wan make a quick trip this easter break.

MY TURN said...

350,000 to America and that's minus spending money o.God punish them its because us Nigerians are the most desperate, impatient souls ever. They know if i refuse to pay someone else will pay, so rant all you want nothing will be done.This is so sad and it cuts across.

Anonymous said...

I said this a long long time ago. Tell me the special attraction in Nigeria that makes it so expensive to travel to Nigerian.

They have taken us for Mugun for a long time. Thank God for Laws.

Anonymous said...

No mind am. I doubt he/she even knows what daily is. How can u fly daily? U be dangote?

Anonymous said...

This is ridiculous.. The best way to lower their prices is to have more airlines. Whatever happened to Nigerian Airlines??? Exactly. If they have more competition (by either we start our own airlines, or encourage other carriers to come to Nigeria)they will be forced to lower their price.

Anonymous said...

These Nigerians sef...why don't you fly your Okada Air or Kabo Air to UK and New York. Please who knows the cost of flying non stop to Iraq?

Cynthia said...

Thanks guys. I have been cracking my brain off trying to figure out what it means. Infact right now am SMH & laughing over it. Cynthia

Wale said...

He tried to book for a flight in August. How can they have run out of economy seats in March? This nonsense of foreigners coming to Nigeria to cheats us did not start today and its still continuing. We pay the highest prices for practically all goods and services provided by foreigners. Telecommunications, satellite TV, even insurance paid on freight to the country. Let's not limit the battle to BA and Virgin

Wale said...

You must live in that country called Utopia. I challenge you to name a country that leaves everything to free enterprise. The process of ensuring fair pricing is what is called Regulation. I support government intervention in this case

Wale said...

The search and humiliation they subject Arik passengers to in foreign airport is enough to rethink travelling with Arik

Gbemmy said...

Well, What can i say? They're the most trusted

Noella said...

KUDOS NIJA GOVT!!!..NIGERIANS TRAVEL THE MOST OUT OF ANY GROUP IN THE ENTIRE WORLD...SO THIS SANCTION WILL DEFINITELY HIT THEM WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS...ITS HIGH TIME WE TAKE A STRONG STANCE AGAINST THESE DIRT BAGS.....LONDON=LAGOS AND NEW YORK LAGOS ROUTES MAKE THESE GREEDY AIRLINES THE MOST MONEY...SO WATCH AND SEE THEY WILL DRASTICALLY REDUCE THEIR PRICES!! MARK MY WORD!!!!

Anonymous said...

U r a liar.....1800pounds(£) for what....Economy? its nt evn up to 1800 dollars($)durin peak periods....knw ur facts bfr lying....evn premium economy ws 267000naira last year July....oniro oshi and baggage allowance is 23kg X 2 wt one hand luggage and ur backpack or handbag

Afamiii said...

British Airways like any capitalist firm will increase its prices to the point where it cannot sell all its inventory. If you fly BA or any of the European airlines you will notice they are flying at +80% capacity. Therefore they will keep prices up.

If you want to see lower prices then you allow them or other people to increase capacity, this will cause prices to drop until the additional capacity is filled.

The alternative is that there will be waiting lists and people will make a good trade in buying seats and then reselling them at higher prices.

If prices are so high, why is competition not taking advantage. Air France, Lufthansa and Arik are all equally high for economy.

PLUS: Nigeria's aviation taxes levied on passengers by government are amongst the highest in the world. Despite this government cannot even provide decent airport facilities for passengers.

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