Tinubu Approves Relief Package for Airlines as Jet A1 Fuel Prices Surge

The Federal Government has approved a series of intervention measures aimed at easing financial pressure on airline operators amid a sharp rise in Jet A1 aviation fuel prices.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the decision yesterday after a high-level meeting in Abuja involving officials from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, airline operators, and fuel marketers.

Keyamo said President Bola Tinubu had granted approval for a reduction in certain outstanding charges owed by airlines to the Federal Government, describing the move as an immediate step to prevent disruption in air transport services.

He added that the government would, in the coming days, set up a special committee to review multiple taxes and levies embedded in airfares, with a view to reducing costs for both operators and passengers.

According to him, the interventions are designed to stabilise the aviation sector, which has come under increasing strain from rising fuel costs that operators warn could threaten sustainability.

The development follows mounting concerns from airlines over the escalating cost of Jet A1 fuel, which they say has significantly increased operational expenses and raised fears of possible service disruptions.