- Alarming concerns for exploitative charges on fares for the eastern region
Air passengers have expressed disappointment and frustrations as airfares continue to skyrocket, making it increasingly difficult for individuals to embark on their trips. The rising costs, coupled with economic uncertainties, have left many passengers in a state of dismay
Hence, groups, individuals, business organizations and even expatriates have continued to urge airline operators to reduce the cost of airfares especially for local travelers.
One of such groups is the Nigeria society of engineers (NSE). The body appealed to airline operators to review fares for Enugu-Abuja route saying the exorbitant fare is causing untold hardship to travelers especially at this time of harsh economic realities.
They stated that it was exploitative for airline operators to charge between N100, 000 to N120, 000 for an Enugu-Abuja journey of less than 45 minutes when the Enugu -Lagos route that takes an average of 1 hour is less than N80, 000.
Enugu State Chairman of the organisation, Chigbo Obealor, who addressed the 2023 conference of the body in Enugu, at the weekend, stated that the development is seriously affecting their members.
He equally complained bitterly about the inability of the security agencies to secure workers especially the exposed professionals who are always on the field. He mentioned that some of their members, who were kidnapped since 2021, have not been rescued.
“Some of our members who were taking hostage since 2021 have not been returned. Five of them were kidnapped and allegedlly killed”
Nelson Onyemah, Ernest Edeani, Ikechukwu Ejiofor, Samuel Ani and Stanley Nwazulum, engineers attached to NELAN Consultants, were abducted on November 3, 2021, while at work on the £150 million African Development Bank (AfDB) funded Abakaliki ring road phase 2 projects in Ebonyi State,
SOURCE: The Guardian
IMAGE: Aviation Source
