Election: Domestic airlines record poor passenger turns out

Domestic airlines the country might have been counting their losses following poor passengers turn out Monday on various destinations.

The early Monday morning rush, traffic gridlock associated with the Monday rush was not witnessed at the two domestic terminals in Lagos.

Our Aviation editor who visited the MMA2 and GAT terminals in the early hours of Monday report that the whole airline’s check in counters were empty with only few passengers being processed for boarding.

The usual hustling and bustling was not there as airline officials canvassed for passengers in the terminal.

The situation also forced airlines to lower air fare as an early morning flight fare by Aero contractors was purchased by a passenger at N45, 000 as against N50 000 or N55, 000 on a Monday morning early flight.

An anonymous airline officials told our correspondent that he was surprised to see air fare being brought down by airlines on a Monday morning especially when the Dana air that operates cheaper fares was not flying.

But the situation might not be unconnected with the political situation in the country as Nigerians were apprehensive on the outcome and possible spill over over the election results.

Meanwhile, only few vehicles were on the ever busy local airport roads from the Ikeja under bridge to GAT and MMA2 while majority of shops were closed.

Most civil servants were not seen on their duty posts in various parastatals Monday.

One of the union leaders, comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals told this correspondent that there was apprehension in the land hence workers were not at their duty posts.