Airports in Nigeria recorded a dip of 3.38 million passengers in the last three years, data from regulatory authorities reveal.
According to data obtained by The Nation from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), figures for passengers processed for travelling at the nation’s airports for 2021 stands at 14.2 million compared with the 10,447,321 for last year.
But in 2019, over 17,580,023 passengers according to the NCAA data processed flights through airports in Nigeria.
Investigations have shown that the significant dip in passenger load factor in the period under review could be attributed to the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic and its debilitating effects on air travel at domestic, regional and intercontinental levels.
The significant dip in 2019 and 2020 figures translates to a difference of 7,147,303 , which experts say could be attributed to the effects of travel bans, lockdowns and other measures taken by the government to checkmate the spread of the raging COVID – 19 Pandemic.
Despite the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the Nigerian economy, air travel seems to be experiencing a rebound with more than 14.2 million persons travelling by air in 2021.
Records from the NCAA show that the number of passengers on in -bound domestic flights were 5, 977, 927, while out-bound domestic flights were 6, 072, 337, making a total of 12, 050, 264.
In the same period, in-bound international flights carried 1, 086, 395 passengers and out-bound international flights conveyed 1, 112, 884, making a total of 2, 199, 279.
This made the total of both domestic and international passengers that were airlifted 14, 249, 543.
Apart from 2020, when there were no scheduled flight operations for about four months, the highest passenger traffic recorded in air travel in the past three years was in 2019, averaging 17, 580, 023.
Details of the travel statistics obtained from NCAA also indicated that 27 international airlines operated 9, 673 flights with 3, 216 delays, 37 cancellations, 24 air/ramp returns, 18, 458 missing baggage and out of that number, 16, 978 baggage were later found.
During the period under review also, there were 45 overbooked flights and denied boarding for international travel and 60 complaints about pilferage and discourtesy.
There were 105 complaints, out of which 60 cases were resolved.
In terms of domestic airlines, there were 10 airlines, which operated 74, 537, 42 flights. Also, there were 328, 542 flight cancellations, 110 air/ramp returns and 1, 086 delayed flights. Similarly, there were also 1, 086 delayed/missing bags. The number of baggage recovered were 1, 082 and over booking was 27, while pilferage, 281, complaints 308 and resolved cases, 227.
Total number of flights operated by international airlines included Africa World Airlines, 1, 142; Air Cote D’Ivoire, 530; Air France, 255; Air Peace, 699; Asky Airline, 884; Azman Air, three; Badr Air, 47; British Airways, 584; Cronos Air, 130; Delta Airline, 350, and Egypt Air, 543.
Others were Emirates, 225; Ethiopian Airlines, 828; Kenya Airways, 721; KLM, 229; Lufthansa, 555; Middle East Airlines, 122; Qatar Airways, 679; Royal Air Maroc, 173; RwandAir, 310; Saudi Air, 24 and South Africa Airways, eight.
There were also TAAG Angola, 15; Tchad Air, 26; Turkish Airlines, 669, United AirLines, 12 and Virgin Atlantic, 363.
Operated flights by domestic airlines were as follows: Aero Contractors, 6,937; Arik Air, 9, 024; Azman Air, 3, 921; Dana Air, 9,360; Overland, 2, 917 and Air Peace, 17, 861. Others were Max Air, 8,607; Ibom Air, 9, 551, United Nigeria Airlines, 6, 408 and Green Africa, 1, 092.
There were indications that flight delays had not abated, as records showed that despite passengers’ complaints, over 35 percent of flights were delayed both on international and domestic flights.
The data revealed that flight delays from January to December 2021, showed that domestic airlines operating in Nigeria recorded 41, 398 cases of delayed flights.
Flight delays by airlines were as follows: Aero Contractors 3, 766 from 6, 973 flights; Arik Air, 5, 171 from 9, 024 flights; Azman Air, 2,494 from 3, 921 flights and Dana Air, 5,227 from 9, 360 flights.
Others were Overland Airways, 2, 441 from 2,917 flights; Air Peace, 9, 900 from 17, 861 flights; Max Air, 5, 212 from 8, 607 flights; Ibom Air, 2, 582 from 9, 551 flights, United Nigeria Airlines, 4, 063 from 6, 408 flights and Green Africa, 542 from 1, 092 flights.
In the second quarter of 2021, the airport of Lagos, in Nigeria, counted 434 thousand domestic passenger arrivals and 427 thousand domestic passenger departures. Compared to the second quarter of 2020, the number of arrivals decreased by 22 percent, while the number of departures increased by 65 per cent.
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