The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission's claims that domestic airlines hiked ticket prices over the holiday season in December 2025 have been rejected by the Nigerian Airlines Operators Association.

Professor Obiora Okonkwo, the spokesperson for AON, expressed the organization's stance in a report published on Friday by African Independent Television.

The FCCPC's interim report, which identified possible instances of rate manipulation on specific domestic routes, is the source of the dispute.

The AON maintained that rate changes are standard industry practices influenced by supply and demand, arguing that the FCCPC has the technical knowledge necessary to analyse airline pricing systems.

The group cautioned that the viability of domestic airlines would be jeopardised if the regulator's findings are upheld.

Okonkwo insisted that the Commission did not fully understand the complexity inherent in airline pricing systems and characterised the FCCPC's decisions as detrimental to local companies.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has accused domestic airlines of manipulating ticket pricing during the December 2025 holiday season, to which the Airlines Operators of Nigeria (AON) has reacted.

Professor Obiora Okonkwo, a spokesman for AON, responded by saying that the Commission's measures were extremely harmful to domestic operators' ability to survive.

According to the AIT report, "He accused the Commission of playing to the gallery and argued that the FCCPC lacks the technical expertise to interpret airline pricing structures."

Okonkwo explained that airline pricing is influenced by a range of operational factors beyond fuel costs, including maintenance timelines, aircraft availability, insurance commitments, airport and navigation fees, as well as expenses tied to foreign currency.

He added that fare increases during peak travel periods are primarily driven by demand and supply forces, noting that such pricing adjustments are consistent with standard practices across the global aviation industry.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission's Department of Surveillance and Investigations presented a preliminary report on Thursday, claiming to have discovered patterns of purported pricing manipulation throughout the holiday season.

The conclusions were based on data from domestic carriers that compared ticket rates in December 2025 with post-peak costs reported in January 2026, according to Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs for the Commission.

According to the analysis, cost hikes corresponded with times when there were few seats available, especially during expected peaks in demand for seasonal travel.