Rano Air has announced a temporary suspension of some of its flight routes, citing the skyrocketing cost of aviation fuel and rising operational expenses in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
In a statement released on Friday, the airline revealed that the price of Jet A1 fuel has surged by over 300%, making it increasingly difficult to operate certain routes profitably.
According to the airline, the persistent rise in fuel costs has placed significant pressure on its operations, forcing it to temporarily reduce services on affected routes.
“Rano Air has taken the difficult but necessary decision to suspend some of our routes temporarily,” the statement read.
The airline, however, did not disclose the specific routes impacted by the suspension.
Several domestic carriers, including Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines and Ibom Air, have repeatedly warned that soaring Jet A1 prices are affecting operations and disrupting flight schedules.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria had earlier threatened to suspend operations over what it described as unsustainable fuel price increases, with Jet A1 reportedly rising from about N900 per litre to over N3,300 in some areas.
Although the Federal Government later intervened through the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, airlines have continued to face operational difficulties linked to fuel supply shortages and unstable pricing.
Industry experts say aviation fuel remains the largest operating expense for airlines in Nigeria, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of operational costs, far above global averages.
