Barrister Peter Ekwueme, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Senatorial Aspirant for Anambra South Senatorial Zone, has condemned the recurring spike in airfare prices during festive periods, particularly flights to Anambra from Lagos and Abuja. Speaking during a virtual interactive session with journalists, Ekwueme criticized airlines operating at the Chinua Achebe International Airport for what he described as “unjustified airfare hike” targeted at Anambra bound travelers during Christmas, Easter and other major festivities.
According to Ekwueme, the airlines that fly from Abuja and Lagos to Anambra consistently raise ticket prices weeks before every major festive periods, fully aware of the insecurity on Nigerian roads which forces many travelers to rely on air travel. He questioned why such airfare hikes are not imposed by other airlines flying to other parts of the country from these same locations during Sallah and other festive times, this is despite the fact that these other airlines also fly almost empty to and fro some of these other parts of the country.
“But when it’s time for our people to travel home and connect with their families, they make air travel unbearable. It’s not fair to our people.”
He further stated that these airliners cannot pride themselves on organizing international rescue missions for stranded Nigerians while neglecting the needs of citizens from their home State who are being subjected to “exorbitant” flight costs.
“Charity begins at home,” Ekwueme emphasized. “While flying Nigerians back from war-torn countries for free is commendable, imposing mean airfares on your own people trying to travel to their country homes is not laudable.”
Ekwueme also raised serious concerns about the treatment of passengers whose flights are redirected to Asaba Airport instead of landing in Anambra as booked. He recounted a disturbing personal experience where his wife and children, who had booked a flight to Anambra, were instead dropped at Asaba Airport late at evening without any arrangements for their onward journey to their paid location.
“I was already at the Chinua Achebe Airport waiting for them,” he said. “Suddenly, I had to drive at late evening to Asaba to get my family — including my children — and return with them. That’s a huge security risk. What if something had gone wrong?”
He called on airline operators to immediately put in place proper arrangements for ground transportation to paid location, accompanied by security personnel if landing at Asaba or any other airport becomes necessary due to technical or operational issues.
“If you must land in Asaba or any other location other than the one the passenger paid for, then provide secure and comfortable transport to Anambra for passengers who paid to land there. You cannot drop people in another state with reckless abandon, as though they booked for Asaba,” he said.
The Real Estate Developer cum Attorney; Barrister Ekwueme, urged aviation authorities and airline operators to treat passengers with dignity and fairness, especially during peak travel seasons, and ensure safer, more humane services for travelers heading to the Southeast.
