Rano Air suspenss flights to Maiduguri, Gombe, others over rising aviation fuel

Domestic carrier, Rano Air has suspended flight operations to some of its northern destinations, including Maiduguri and Gombe, following the continuous increase in the price of Jet A1, otherwise known as aviation fuel.

The airline disclosed the development in a statement posted on its verified X handle and monitored by The Guardian.
According to the airline, aviation fuel prices had surged by over 300 per cent within the last two months, making operations on certain routes unsustainable.

Although Rano Air did not officially name the affected destinations, a source close to the airline confirmed that Maiduguri and Gombe were among the suspended routes.

The airline said the affected services would remain suspended until there was an improvement in the operating environment.

“We regret to inform our valued passengers that due to the rising costs in aviation fuel prices, we have had to reduce some of our routes,” the airline stated.

Rano Air, however, assured passengers with existing bookings that it would provide options, including refunds, rescheduling or rerouting to minimise the disruption caused by the suspension.

The carrier apologised for the inconvenience and appealed for the understanding of customers during the period.
Rano Air currently operates flights to destinations including Sokoto, Katsina, Osubi, Abuja, and Lagos, among others.

Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), the umbrella body of domestic operators, had recently regretted the skyrocketing prices of Jet A1.

The operators, which sought imcentives from the government, also threatened to suspend ope if the intervention call was not attended to by the government.