- A Nigerian airline, Air Peace, debunked claims that they increased domestic flight fares by 100 per cent
- The company claimed that the rumour was fake and did not originate from them
- Netizens, however, posted screenshots that indicate otherwise, claiming that the airline increased the price and reverted to the old price
Nigerian airline Air Peace has debunked viral reports that it plans to increase fares for domestic flights by 100 per cent.
The airline, through its X handle, @flyairpeace, addressed the rumours and issued a disclaimer stating that they did not originate from the company. The statement signed by the company's management on Saturday, October 26, said the company did not release any official statement regarding a fare increase and added that pricing announcements would only be made through its website or social media channels.
The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to reports and images circulating online regarding a purported 100% fare increase by Air Peace Limited.
“We would like to categorically state that this information is false and did not originate from Air Peace. We have not released any official statement regarding a fare increase as described, and any announcements regarding our pricing would only be made through our verified channels.
“We encourage our valued customers and clients to rely exclusively on our platforms for accurate updates and information on fares. Thank you for your continued trust in Air Peace.”
Netizens claim Air Peace increased flight fares, share proof
However, some Nigerians in the comment section claimed that the price was increased on the portal but reverted to the old price.
@bunmiokunowo posted: “This is misinformation! You increased the fare on your portal and collected it for return tickets for PH to Abuja for mid-December and early January (close to half a million Naira) for return tickets.
“Even if you ‘sneakily’ revert the price on your portal, you definitely can’t erase the banking transaction history of exorbitant prices you have collected from passengers since the panic publication.”
He also tagged the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo and the Central Bank of Nigeria to the post.
A couple of netizens posted screenshots of the old price and the increased flight fare on their portal. One @Uncle_Ike_C posted: “But it seems you increased that of South East route. Just check that of Kano and Enugu same date. Onuru ube nwanne agba n'oso.
Another person, @Takechargee posted: “This is your price range, this is more than 100% increase of what I boarded on two months ago. Y’all are eve!l.”
One netizen also called on the FCCPC to investigate the price adjustments, claiming to have bought three round-trip tickets to Abuja at the rate of N489,000 each, only to discover that the prices have been reduced by 100 per cent.
@IamOnyisi posted: “Good afternoon @fccpcnigeria. My name is Peter . Last week, rumors circulated about an impending increase in Air Peace ticket prices, causing concern among many travelers, including myself.
“In response I purchased three round-trip tickets to Abuja at a rate of 489,000 each for our MD, ED'S. However, today someone drew my attention to the sudden ticket price change and when I returned to their website, I was surprised to find that almost all ticket prices had been drastically reduced by almost 100%.
“I urge the @fccpcnigeria to investigate the reasons behind these sudden price adjustments. I have not encountered any pricing system that operates in this manner, nor have I seen any justification for such drastic price differences within a 96-hour timeframe.”
“If he is guilty, hold am”: Nigerians react as fresh charges hit Allen Onyema of Air Peace
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that The United States (US) government filed additional charges in the $20 million bank fraud case against Allen Onyema, the founder of the major Nigerian airline, Air Peace, sparking reactions from Nigerians.
Ryan Buchanan, the US Attorney in Atlanta, Georgia, provided details of the fresh charges against the businessman in a statement released on Friday, October 11.