Pressure Mounts On Travel Agencies Over N26bn Unused Tickets

Travel agencies in the country have renewed their call to the Federal Government to reopen the nation’s airports for international operations to avoid the collapse of the downstream sector of the aviation industry.

There is still uncertainty over the resumption of international flights four months after the suspension by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19.

On Tuesday, there was confusion in the industry over a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) announcing the extension of international flights’ ban till October.

This triggered commotion especially among the travel agents who are already suffering huge losses due to the flight ban and looking forward to the lifting of the ban.

The Federal Government immediately clarified the NOTAM which it described as routine and that protocols were being developed to safely reopen the airports for international flights.

It would be recalled that domestic operations resumed on July 8.

According to the President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Susan Akporiaye, the travel agency community in the first quarter of 2019 earned N97.2bn in ticket sales, but that the figure dropped to N52.5bn in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite this, she hinted that 50 per cent of the tickets remained unused with some clients demanding for refund.