AIR Peace, Dana Air, and Max Air have been identified as airlines that recorded the highest number of delayed flights in Nigeria in 2021.
According to the 2021 annual report on international and domestic flight operations provided by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and forwarded to our correspondent, a total of 74,537 flights were operated on domestic routes, while 9,675 flights were operated on international routes.
The data revealed that 41,328 flights were canceled in 2021 on domestic routes, representing 55 percent of such flights.
Air Peace recorded the highest number of flights, which was 17,861, as well as the most number of delayed flights, 9,908. Dana Air came second with a total number of 8,183 flights and 5,227 delayed flights. Max Air followed with 8,607 operated flights and 5,212 delayed flights, while Arik Air operated 9,024 flights and experienced 5,171 delays.
United Nigeria Airlines operated 6,408 flights, with 4,065 flight delays. Aero Contractors operated 6,973 flights, with 3,766 flights delays, while Ibom Air operated 9,551 flights, with 2,502 delayed flights.
Similarly, Azman Air operated 3,921 flights, with 2,494 flight delays, but Overland Airways operated 2,917 flights, with 2,441 delays, while Green Africa operated 1,092 flights, with 542 of the flights delayed.
All 10 of these airlines suffered 542 cancellations in the previous year, with Aero Contractors having 157; Air Peace, 126; and Max Air, 74.
Most of the updates on social media by Air Peace have blamed flight delays and cancellations on low visibility, fuel scarcity, and operational concerns from its principal, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
For instance, on Tuesday, February 15, 2021, the airline blamed the delays of the Lagos-Port Harcourt, Lagos- Abuja, Lagos-Asaba, and return trips on Lagos-Douala routes on the scarcity of aviation fuel, commonly known as JET A1.
This is not unconnected with the recent fuel queues in many parts of the country and the current spike in aviation fuel to N400 per litre, according to the Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines Obiora Okonkwo, in a recent interview.
Okonkwo warned that Jet A1 cost might even rise to N500 per litre before March 2022, saying there would be adjustments in the ticket price to bridge the cost, “otherwise the aviation industry will collapse.”
