Rano Air has announced temporary suspension of flights on some of its routes due to the high cost of Jet A1 aviation fuel.
In a statement released on Friday, via its X handle, the airline said the spike in aviation fuel in the last two months has significantly impacted its operations, making it commercially unsustainable to continue operating some of its routes.
While the airline did not specifically mention the affected routes, it lamented that the unprecedented increase in fuel prices has placed enormous pressure on flight operations and significantly impacted the aviation industry generally.
“In view of the current situation, Rano Air has taken the difficult but necessary decision to suspend some of our routes temporarily,” the airline stated, adding that the decision was made “in the interest of maintaining safe, reliable, and sustainable operations.”
The airline assured passengers who have booked flights on the affected routes that it would resolve all issues regarding refunds, rescheduling, or rerouting options.
This comes weeks after Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) raised concerns about the unprecedented cost of aviation fuel. According to the group, aviation fuel has jumped by over 300 per cent from around ₦900 to over ₦3,000 per litre.
The operators threatened to shut down operations by April 20 if nothing was done to address the situation.
Following the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the AON suspended its action. After a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the minister, the Federal government offered a 30 per cent discount on all debts owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies as part of measures to cushion the high cost of operations. However, the operators appealed for a total waiver until fuel prices come down considerably.
Industry analysts said the government needs to address the root cause of the aviation fuel price hike to bring relief to operators instead of a 30 per cent discount on debts.
Experts note that fuel cost now accounts for about 50 per cent of total operating expenses for domestic carriers, significantly higher than the global average. This has put operators in a tight corner while trying to maintain flight services without raising fares that could hurt passengers.
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Other carriers, including Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines, and Ibom Air, have also reported severe pressure from fuel costs, leading to delays, rescheduling, and reduced flight frequencies for passengers.
AON vice chairman, Allen Onyema, who is also chairman and founder of Air Peace, had warned that some airlines have signaled their intention to shut down operations soon due to operational pressures coming from the high cost of fuel.
Rano Air said it plans to resume operations on the affected routes once market conditions improve and become “operationally viable.”
The airline, which was established in 2019 by Alhaji Auwalu Abdullahi Rano (AA Rano), launched commercial operations in May 2023. Based in Abuja, it focuses on domestic flights using a fleet of five Embraer 145 aircraft, connecting cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Bauchi and Maiduguri.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in Mass Communication. He can be reached via @VICTOREZEJA on X