By YUNUS YUSUF

The Aviation Safety Initiative Round Table (ASIRT) has urged the Federal Government to urgently find a lasting solution to the astronomical rise in Jet-A1 price to prevent withdrawal threat of domestic airlines.

The President of the group, Dr. Gabriel Olowo disclosed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday.

NAN reports that the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) on May 6 threatened to shut down flight services to passengers if government do not reduce the price which is currently sold at N700 per litre.

Olowo noted that a lasting solution would allow domestic airlines to buy aviation fuel at a lower price.

He said: “Aviation Fuel has been an issue for upwards of 20 years in Nigeria without serious attention. Yet airlines keep operating out of patriotism.

“Regrettably this is planning for an accident”. Please heed the voice of the watchman.

“This has been the essence of my consistent advocacy for upward review of tariffs all the time.

“However, how high can tariff go given the average passenger purchasing power? If any airline pretends about this problem, such airline must be receiving subsidies for the business or “cutting corners”.

Olowo said no operational and management skills could answer for this uncontrollable factor of the business.

He also appealed to the airlines to heed the minister’s appeal to endure and stretch a little more but not beyond their elastic limit.

On flight disruption, Olowo said: “Flight disruption for whatever reason has remedial processes which I expected airlines to honour, either in terms of refund or use when the operation normalises. (NAN)