More domestic airlines are set to cut flight operations as Nigeria’s worsening Jet A1 aviation fuel crisis continues to disrupt schedules, raise safety concerns, and threaten the survival of carriers already burdened by rising costs.
Rano Air has cancelled over 50 per cent of its flights, while Max Air is also set to reduce frequencies on several routes. A staff member of the airline confirmed that flights to Bauchi would be cancelled, with reduced services to Port Harcourt, Kano, Lagos, and other destinations. “We are reducing like 50,” the source said, indicating the scale of adjustments across the sector.
Several other carriers have adopted what operators describe as “skeletal service” a scaled-down schedule intended to keep operations running without a complete shutdown. One operator credited a federal government intervention for preventing a full grounding of flights, but said it had produced little tangible relief.
“The intervention has not yielded any results. Jet A1 prices are still on the high side,” he said. Passengers may soon feel the impact at the ticketing counter, as operators warn that the additional financial burden could be passed on through higher fares.
“We may possibly increase our prices,” one source said.The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has also raised the alarm, warning that the persistent fuel shortages are beginning to pose serious safety risks within Nigeria’s aviation industry.
