Lately, the airfare disparity on the Lagos – London and Accra – London route has come under severe scrutiny. The Ministry of Aviation had given the affected airlines, mainly British Airways and Virgin Atlantic a 30-day ultimatum to close the fare gap or be banned. The Executive and Legislative arms of government have also thrown their weight behind this decision.
The focus of the authorities is on British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, both of British origin. However, we dug further to see if indeed these are the only two airlines guilty of the “crime”. Our findings reveal that practically all airlines that ply the Lagos – London or Abuja – London routes charge more than their Accra – London route.
What could be the cause of this? Is it a deliberate ploy on the part of these airlines to milk Nigerians or their money (both legitimate and illegitimate)? Are there factors internally that have contributed to the disparity? These are questions that need answers.
However, we have done an analysis of these routes using the same parameters for different airlines. Our findings are:
DISTANCE
| Route | Dist. In Kilometers | Dist. In Miles | Dist. In Nautical Miles |
| Lagos – London | 5004 | 3110 | 2702 |
| Abuja – London | 4738 | 2994 | 2558 |
| Accra – London | 5095 | 3166 | 2751 |
| Lagos – Accra | 406 | 252 | 219 |
| Lagos – Abuja | 521 | 324 | 281 |
The table above implies that the distance between Lagos to London is shorter than Accra to London by 49 nautical miles and is further widened to 193 nautical miles if Accra to London is compared with Abuja to London.
The parameters for the fare results for each airline in the table below are:
- One month Travel
- Lowest rates available for each class
- Arrival destination – London Heathrow
- Round trip
- All fares in dollars
- All fare are inclusive of taxes
BRITISH AIRWAYS
| ROUTE | FIRST CLASS | BUSINESS/CLUB | PREMIUM ECON. | ECONOMY |
| Lagos – London – Lagos | 9,520.12 | 4,145.17 | 3,011.92 | 1,327.56 |
| Abuja – London – Abuja | 9,310.12 | 3,935.17 | 1,999.42 | 1,297.86 |
| Accra – London – Accra | 4,547.00 | 2,954.72 | 1,309.92 | 1,063.91 |
VIRGIN ATLANTIC
| ROUTE | UPPER CLASS | PREMIUM ECON. | ECONOMY |
| Lagos – London – Lagos | 4,212.00 | 2,048.45 | 1,939.01 |
| Abuja – London – Abuja | Not Applicable | ||
| Accra – London – Accra | 2,061.11 | 1,299.57 | 957.16 |
SOUTH AFRICA AIRWAYS
| ROUTE | BUSINESS | ECONOMY |
| Lagos – London – Lagos | 7,801.20 | 1,537.00 |
| Abuja – London – Abuja | Not Applicable | |
| Accra – London – Accra | 7,805.00 | 1,321.17 |
EMIRATES
| ROUTE | FIRST CLASS | BUSINESS | ECONOMY |
| Lagos – London – Lagos | 7,975.33 | 4,500.00 | 1,931.67 |
| Abuja – London – Abuja | Not Applicable | ||
| Accra – London – Accra | 7,116.23 | 5,134.23 | 1,493.42 |
LUFTHANSA
| ROUTE | FIRST CLASS | BUSINESS | ECONOMY |
| Lagos – London – Lagos | Not Available for queried period | 3,642.00 | 1.175.00 |
| Abuja – London – Abuja | Not Available for queried period | 3,511.00 | 952.00 |
| Accra – London – Accra | Not Available for queried period | 2,481.00 | 1,357.00 |
ALITALIA
| ROUTE | BUSINESS/CLUB | PREMIUM ECON. | ECONOMY |
| Lagos – London – Lagos | 2,042.12 | 830.37 | 829.37 |
| Abuja – London – Abuja | Not Applicable | ||
| Accra – London – Accra | 2,507.28 | 794.03 | 794.03 |
ARIK AIR
| ROUTE | BUSINESS | ECONOMY |
| Lagos – London – Lagos | 3,050.00 | 995.00 |
| Abuja – London – Abuja | 4,841.00 | 1,115.00 |
| Accra – London – Accra | 3,561.00 | 1,080.00 |
From the analysis above, it is crystal clear that the Nigeria – London route is more expensive than Ghana to London route despite the distance being almost the same. The disparity is more noticeable in the First class and business class categories.
The services some of the airlines claim to render on the various classes are itemized below.
BRITISH AIRWAYS
Economy
- 1 piece of hand baggage plus a laptop or handbag
- 1 x 23kg of checked baggage allowance
- Airport, online or mobile check-in
- Free seat selection 24 hrs in advance
- Priority boarding for families
- Complimentary newspapers before you board
- Complimentary food, refreshments and bar service on board
- 31″ legroom
- Personal in-flight entertainment screen with films, music and games on demand
- Complimentary headphones
Premium Economy
- 1 piece of hand baggage plus a laptop or handbag
- 2 x 23kg checked baggage allowance
- Airport, online or mobile check-in
- Free seat selection 24hrs in advance
- Priority boarding for families
- 38″ legroom with adjustable footrest
- Choice of complimentary newspapers
- Private dedicated cabin with a maximum of 6 seat rows
- Complimentary three-course meal, refreshments and bar service
- Personal in-flight entertainment screen with films, music and games on demand
- Complimentary noise- reducing headphones
- Priority disembarkation
Business
- 1 piece of hand baggage plus a laptop or handbag
- 3 x 32kg checked baggage allowance
- Airport, online or mobile check-in
- Fast Track security to help you speed through the airport
- Access to British Airways lounges
- Separate cabin offering more privacy, personal space and comfort
- Dedicated crew member for your cabin
- Seat converts into a 6ft fully flat bed
- Free seat selection 24hrs in advance
- Choice of light meal or four-course dining, all served with your choice of refreshments, fine wines and champagne
- Club Kitchen, our self service snack and refreshment area
- Personal in seat power socket compatible with UK, US and European plugs
- Washbag with amenity products
- Extensive in flight entertainment system offering movies, games, audio books, music and more
- Noise-cancelling headphones
- Choice of complimentary newspapers onboard
First Class
- 3 x 23kg of checked baggage allowance
- 1 piece of hand baggage plus a laptop or handbag
- Free seat selection 24hrs in advance
- Online, mobile or dedicated First check-in desks, at selected airports.
- Fast Track security to help you speed through the airport
- Access to British Airways lounges including the exclusive Concorde Room at London Heathrow Terminal 5 and New York JFK Terminal 7
- Relax or rejuvenate with Travel Spa and Skin Therapies at London Heathrow Terminal 5, Terminal 3 and New York JFK Terminal 7
- Pre flight dining in the lounge, available on selected flights
- You First, our dedicated help line for First customers in the UK, US and in Canada
- Quintessentially, an exclusive complimentary concierge service
- Dedicated crew member for your cabin
- Fully integrated ambient mood lighting
- Modern suite offering thought through touches, such as a personal wardrobe
- Personal double window with the first electronic blinds onboard a commercial aircraft that span two windows
- Seat that can be moved into a 6ft 6” fully flat bed with crisp white mattress, duvet and pillow
- Wide selection of non-alcoholic beverages, wine and spirits as well as Afternoon Tea
- Personal in seat power socket compatible with UK, US and European plugs
- 15” in-flight entertainment screen with USB port and RCA jack for improved connectivity*
- Extensive in flight entertainment system offering movies, games, audio books, music and more
- Noise-cancelling headphones
- Turndown Service whenever you decide to sleep
- Complimentary pyjamas and slippers
- Complimentary washbag with skincare products
- Choice of complimentary newspapers and magazines onboard
ARIK AIR
Arik Premier Class (long haul Flights)
• Generous legroom and leather seats equipped with a massage function and privacy screen
- Seat has the ability to be converted to a fully flat bed 180°
- We have a fully stocked bar with a social area for the exclusive use of our Premier Class guests
- Configuration is 2 – 2 – 2 in Premier Class
- Individual 17” video monitors at each seat
- Full Audio Video On Demand system with a wide selection of films, short programs and audio
- Seats equipped with in-seat power
- Large wardrobes for stowage of bulky items
- Mood lighting
- Luxurious wash bags for ladies and gents
- Sleeper suits and slippers for night flights
- Mattresses, duvets and large pillows for turndown service on night flights
- Noise cancelling headsets
- Selection of African and International cuisine
- A-la-carte meal service
- Selection of brand name spirits, red and white wine, champagne, beer and soft drinks
- Selection of national and international newspapers and magazines
Arik Premier Class (short haul Flights)
- Generous legroom and leather seats
- No middle seat in Business Class, so each guest has an aisle or window seat
- Complimentary meal and soft drinks
Arik Economy class (long hual flights)
- 50% more legroom then in competitors’ cabin and with the a seat pitch of 34″
- Individual 10,2″ video monitors at each seat
- Full Audio Video On Demand system with a wide selection of films, short programs and audio
- Seats equipped with in-seat power
- Mood lighting
- Blankets, pillows and amenity kits provided to make your journey more comfortable
- 3 course meal with a selection of African and international cuisine on all flights
- Additional light snack service on longer flights
- Selection of wines, beer and soft drinks
Arik Economy class (short haul flights)
- Comfortable seat pitch up to 34″ on many of our aircraft
- Complimentary snacks and soft drinks regardless of time of day on all flights
The ultimatum given to the British airlines have elicited the re-action of the British government equally threatening to take retaliatory actions if Nigeria goes ahead with its threat of a ban on the airlines.
As the drama unfolds, we only hope that the outcome will be beneficial to Nigerian travellers and ultimately, the Nigerian Economy.
