N151,200 Fixed As Hajj Air Fare

[Richard Akindele]

It will cost at least $1,200 (N151 200) to go to Hajj this year, the chairman, Technical Committee on Hajj (TCH), Prof. Abubakar Gwandu, said yesterday. This was agreed upon between the government and the airlines in Abuja. Five airlines have reached an agreement with Hajj authorities to fly pilgrims to Saudi Arabia at $1200 (N151 200) for northern passengers and $1250 (N157 500) for southern passengers after a two-day negotiation between hajj authorities and the airlines representatives.

The amount which was quoted by the Aviation Ministry was accepted by Kabo Airline, Meridien Airline, Mangal Airline, Skygate Airline, EAS (Nicon Airways) but Virgin Nigeria Airline said the price was too low for them. While Afrijet Airline withdrew giving no reason, two airlines fell out of the deal in the process of the negotiations. Prof. Gwandu said, "the negotiations were tough because the airlines had initially refused to budge on the new airfare over uncertainties as a result of the increasing spate of price hike in aviation fuel". He said that accommodation fee at Mecca has increased to 1000 Saudi Riyal (N33,000); an increase from last year's when pilgrims paid 800 Saudi Riyals (N26,400). He added that the rise in accommodation fees was due to recent demolition exercises in Mecca for houses that have outlived their projected life span and the expansion of Haram (holy mosque). He said that the exercise was to enable pilgrims have better houses to live in during the hajj. However, he added that the accommodation fees in Medina would remain the same as last year's at 200 Riyals (N6,600). He said the deal will be forwarded to the presidency for approval, saying that new fares were as a result of "a collective decision by stakeholders".

The federal government is expected to announce the total hajj fare before the end of the month. Until yesterday, Hajj authorities and air carriers had failed to reach an agreement on fares for this year's hajj. The negotiation took place in Abuja between members of the Technical Committee on Hajj (TCH), Directorate of Pilgrims Affairs (DPA), Stakeholders and the airlines. Government recommended $1,200 (N156,000) for north based passengers and $1,250 (N162,500) for the southern passengers, but the airlines operators insisted on higher prices. Kabo airline, Mangal airline and EAS $1400 (N182,000) for northern passengers and $1,500 (195,000) for southern passengers, while Skygate airline $1250 (N162 500) for north passengers and $1,350 (N175,500) for southern passengers.

Out of 17 airlines that submitted biddings for this year's hajj, only seven airlines scaled through after screening by aviation experts. The airlines that scaled through the aviation screening includes Kabo Airline, Virgin Nigeria Airlines, Afrijet Airlines, Mangal Airline, Meridien Airline, Skygate Airline and EAS as standby. The operators submitted that there is need for increase because of the 15% rise in the price of aviation fuel between the periods they submitted tenders to this moment. In fact, they expressed fears that with hike in the price of fuel, they do not know what will be the price of fuel at hajj period. They added that fuel price was N70 per litre during last year's hajj exercise, but N95 at this moment. The chairman, TCH, Prof. Abubakar Gwandu, told the airlines that they would be responsible for paying airport tax and government would not give room for waiver.

Daily Trust