Travel News

There is no end in sight to the crisis over aviation fuel known as Jet A1 as the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has...

Though the three airlines were not mentioned, the Vice-President of AON, Mr. Allen Onyema, confirmed that the fuel price has now hit an all-time high of N714 per litre.

Daily Trust reports that several interventions by the Federal Government and the National Assembly have failed to resolve the crisis as the price of Jet A1 continues to skyrocket.

In his presentation at the ongoing Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) National Aviation Conference (FNAC) in Abuja, Onyema said while the aviation fuel crisis is not limited to Nigeria, it was made worse by the naira to dollar exchange.

He disclosed that in order to address the challenge, the Federal Government had approved 10,000 metric tonnes of aviation fuel to the airlines but said the carriers were yet to access it.

He noted that 16 months ago, the price of aviation fuel was about N200 per litre but has risen to over N700 per litre today in the local market.

He said: “That is why we ran to the government and the Federal Government has given us about 10,000 metric tonnes of fuel at the cost of N580 per litre in Lagos and about N607 per litre outside Lagos.

“This is not the only issue. Since the COVID-19 crisis, most airlines all over the world, including Nigeria have not recovered from COVID-19, except those whose countries have injected so much funds to assist them. This is nobody’s fault. It just happened. The government has tried its best by giving us this aviation fuel. This aviation fuel can take airlines out, not only in Nigeria but everywhere in the world.

“Some airlines outside Nigeria have closed down because of the effects of rising aviation fuel. If these things are not addressed in Nigeria, it can affect the bottom-line of all airlines in Nigeria.

“We have come to realise that there is little or nothing the committee set up can do because this is as a result of foreign exchange and the price of oil all over the world now. The fuel marketers will sell according to what they are paying. The cost of aviation fuel has increased, even in London and every other country. Our own is worse because of the increase in foreign exchange.”

Interventions by the Nigerian Government and the National Assembly have failed to resolve the crisis as the price of Jet A1 continues to skyrocket

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKJUN 15, 2022

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has raised fears that three airlines in the country may soon shut down operations due to the high cost of aviation fuel which has hit N714 per litre.   Allen Onyema, the Vice-President of AON, made this known on Tuesday while speaking at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria National Aviation Conference in Abuja.

Though he did not mention the three airlines, he explained that interventions by the Nigerian Government and the National Assembly have failed to resolve the crisis as the price of Jet A1 continues to skyrocket, Daily Trust reports.  

Onyema who is also the chairman of Air Peace said, “If nothing is done concerning the cost of aviation fuel, the fuel crisis will take away three airlines in Nigeria in a few weeks.”   He explained that even though the fuel crisis is not limited to Nigeria, it was made worse by the depreciating value of the naira against the dollar.   

According to him, Nigerian government had approved 10,000 metric tonnes of fuel for the airlines at N580 per litre in Lagos and about N607 per litre outside Lagos. He, however, said the carriers were yet to access it.   “This is not the only issue. Since the COVID-19 crisis, most airlines all over the world, including Nigeria have not recovered from COVID-19, except those whose countries have injected so much funds to assist them. “This is nobody’s fault. It just happened. 

The government has tried its best by giving us this aviation fuel. This aviation fuel can take airlines out, not only in Nigeria but everywhere in the world.   “Some airlines outside Nigeria have closed down because of the effects of rising aviation fuel. If these things are not addressed in Nigeria, it can affect the bottom line of all airlines in Nigeria. “We have come to realise that there is little or nothing the committee set up can do because this is as a result of foreign exchange and the price of oil all over the world now.   “The fuel marketers will sell according to what they are paying. 

The cost of aviation fuel has increased, even in London and every other country. Our own is worse because of the increase in foreign exchange.” In May, the proposed strike action by Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) was called off after a four-meeting between airline operators and the leadership of the House of Representatives.

FG’s measures to tackle Jet-A1 crisis not yielding result – Airlines

Over 70 airlines have gone into extinction in Nigeria in the past few years and three others currently in operation may collapse in the coming weeks, the Airline Operators of Nigeria said on Wednesday.

AON attributed the incessant collapse of airlines in Nigeria to the excessive charges confronting operators in the sector, among other concerns.

It, however, explained that the major reason capable of crumbling the operations of airlines currently was the high cost of aviation fuel, popularly called Jet A1.

Speaking on behalf of AON at the ongoing National Aviation Conference organised by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria in Abuja, the Chairman, Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said though airlines had been interfacing with the Federal Government on the high cost of aviation fuel, the commodity had continued its northward price movement.

On the concerns in the sector and how it had been affecting airlines, the AON official said, “There are so many issues in the aviation industry. Issues like high taxes are making airlines to be unprofitable here.

“We pay excessive charges to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency. Paying navigation charges is absurd for domestic operations. The mortality rate of airlines in Nigeria is alarming. Over 70 airlines have gone into extinction in the last few years.”

Commenting on the hike in the cost of Jet A1, Onyema said, “The current fuel crisis will take away three airlines in the next weeks. How do we make money in a situation where we pay salaries and charges to different aviation agencies?”

The jump in aviation fuel price as well as in the cost of diesel, which are both deregulated petroleum products, had led to the collapse of businesses both in the aviation and oil and gas sectors.

The National President, Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association, Bennett Korie, on Tuesday revealed that about 70 per cent of filling stations in Nigeria had closed shop due to the high cost of diesel.

He explained that the outlets had to shut down operations following their inability to purchase diesel at the current N850/litre price to power their trucks needed to transport petrol to their various stations nationwide.

In the aviation sector, Onyema also noted at the ongoing conference that the hike in aviation fuel price was putting severe strain on the operations of airlines. He, however, revealed that the Federal Government had given domestic airline operators some volumes of Jet A1.

“That is why we ran to the government and the Federal Government has given us about 10,000 metric tonnes of fuel at the cost of N580/litre in Lagos and about N607/litre outside Lagos,” he stated.

The Air Peace boss added, “This is not the only issue. Since the COVID-19 crisis, most airlines all over the world, including Nigeria have not recovered from COVID-19, except those whose countries have injected so much funds to assist airlines.

“This is nobody’s fault. It just happened. The government has tried its best by giving us this aviation fuel. This aviation fuel can take airlines out, not only in Nigeria but everywhere in the world.”

Onyema further noted that some airlines outside Nigeria had closed down because of the effects of rising aviation fuel, adding that the concerns should be addressed in Nigeria to avoid affecting the bottom line of all airlines in Nigeria.

The rise in global crude oil prices had warranted a hike in the cost of refined petroleum products across the world, a situation that had also heightened inflation in many countries, including Nigeria.

Also speaking on the cost of Jet A1, the Chairman, United Nigeria Airlines, Obiora Okonkwo, told journalists in Abuja that the government had listened to domestic airlines as regards the concern.

He said, “The government of the day was very magnanimous, kind, listened to us (domestic airlines) and put a lot of things in motion to manage the impact of the aviation fuel price increase.

“We are very happy and grateful to them but the truth of the situation is that those initiatives taken are still at the implementation stage. It has not been fully implemented, so we are not feeling the impact yet.

“Aviation fuel has continued to rise but I can tell you that some of those promises have been implemented and the impacts, we hope, we will feel soon.”

By Joke Falaju, Abuja

…As NCAA plans to unbundle regulations to attract investors

Analysts have projected that Nigeria’s passenger traffic will exceed that of the global aviation sector with about a seven per cent growth rate in the next 10 years, while the global industry remains at 5.3 per cent.

The Director, Commercial and Business Development of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Sadiku Rafindadi, while speaking at the National Aviation Conference Investment Forum yesterday, in Abuja, noted that the aviation industry is pivotal to the socio-economic growth of Nigeria.

He disclosed that in 2020, the domestic and international passenger traffic stood at 9.3million as against 15.8million in 2021, representing a difference of 41 per cent.

Citing a recent aviation sector study by International Air Transportation Association (lATA) in June 2020, Rafindadi said the organisation showcased the significant contributions of aviation to the national economy by providing 241,000 jobs, directly and indirectly, supported through the sector’s supply chain to the tune of $1.7 billion to the national economy.

The Director lamented that the Nigerian aviation market is huge, yet untapped, but FAAN intends to harness available opportunities with the 21 airports in its control.

He added that the sector is strategically positioned to take advantage of expected growth in the African market due to its proximity to Europe, Middle East and the rest of Africa as most of West & Central Africa is within a 4-hour flying time from Nigeria with no clear dominating airline present.

He stated that FAAN is changing its business model for a self-sustaining framework through increased private sector participation, thereby, reducing the financial burden on the government.

Rafindadi said FAAN is maximizing the contribution to the socio-economic development of Nigeria through increased tourism, trade and inflow of FDI; focusing on the growth of agro-allied and improved economic processing zones at the designated airports.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu in his remarks mentioned that the 12,000 hectares for the development of Abuja airport recently provided the FCTA offers an opportunity for investors to invest in the Nigerian aviation industry.

He maintained that the Nigerian aviation industry offers several opportunities for investments and as a regulator, they are working to unbundle the regulations so as to make it easier for people to invest in all areas, especially in general aviation.

Over the last few decades, the geographical dichotomy between Mainland and Island in Lagos has placed the latter as a highbrow settlement that now boasts of some of the most immoderately aesthetic structures in Africa, and maybe the globe.

Even for a non-Lagos resident, the mere mention of places like Lekki, Ikoyi and Victoria Island paints a picture of a geographical milieu characterised by high-rise buildings, pricey real estate, Fortune 500 companies and generally a physical elegance that is attributable to a highbrow area majorly occupied by the elite gentry of the society.

The result of this upscaling and hype, which typically comes with it, is that the price of real estate typically rises above the purse strings of the average citizen. As a matter of fact, recent trends in the real estate sector suggest that the prices of landed property in these areas may well be above the reach of the middle class.

One project in the real estate sector which currently seeks to, yet again, take this upscaling to another level is the Eko Atlantic City. Initially conceived in 2003 as a solution to environmental hazards arising from the flooding of the Lagos bar beach, the Eko Atlantic project has snowballed to play host to one of the most expensive real estate locations in Africa, with a square metre of land now selling for almost $2,000.

00:00/05:56

Eko Atlantic is an entirely new coastal city being built on Victoria Island adjacent to Lagos, Nigeria. It is a focal point for investors capitalising on rich development growth based on massive demand – and a gateway to emerging markets of the continent.

Prior to the conceptualisation of the project, the expanse of real estate, now known as Eko Atlantic City, was a beach on the Atlantic Ocean along the shoreline of Lagos (Lagos Bar Beach), situated on Victoria Island. For a long time, it was the most popular beach in Nigeria, especially when Lagos was the capital of the country.

From the early 1970s to the late 1980s, during the military regime, Bar Beach was a site where many convicted armed robbers and coup plotters were executed by firing squad. It was always a public spectacle, with thousands of spectators, including television cameras and print journalists swarming around.

The first-ever public execution in Nigeria took place at Bar Beach in 1971; it was the execution of Babatunde Folorunsho, for armed robbery. Others included those of Joseph Ilobo, Williams Alders Oyazimo, Lawrence Anini and Dr. Oyenusi in the 90s.

However, over the years, Bar Beach has developed a reputation for overflowing its banks and claiming lives and property. Many times, the Ahmadu Bello Way, the road closest to its banks, was closed for safety reasons. Studies showed that between eight and 14 metres of the beach-front were eroded annually along Bar Beach.

In 2003, the idea of a modern city on the Atlantic coast was publicly discussed. It would be sited on what used to be Bar Beach, out of the reclaimed land. It would be called Eko Atlantic City, a residential and business district “standing on 10 million square metres of land reclaimed from the ocean and protected by an 8.5-kilometre-long sea wall.”

In 2005, the then Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a letter addressed to President Olusegun Obasanjo and titled ‘Permanent Solution to the Bar Beach’ sought the latter’s approval for the reclamation of the coastal land on behalf of a private investor that would convert the liability to an asset that would benefit Lagos State and the Nigerian people at large.

A copy of the request letter, sighted by our correspondent, said the committee which examined the proposal by the company found it competent and financially viable to provide a permanent solution to Bar Beach and convert it to a first-class tourist resort.

That same year, President Olusegun Obasanjo gave an approval for the commencement of the project. The approval was on the condition that the development project be strictly supervised to ensure that it did not stray beyond the confines of the law, as well as the gambit of the approval given to the company. In 2008, the construction of the new city began.

As of May 2009, while the site was being dredged, about 3,000,000 cubic metres  (equivelent to 3,900,000 cu yd) of space were sand-filled and placed in the reclamation area, while about 35,000 tonnes of rock were delivered to the site.

In 2016, Eko Atlantic City was commissioned by the then Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode.

Standing on 10 million square metres of land reclaimed from the ocean and protected by an 8.5-kilometre-long sea wall, Eko Atlantic is projected to be the size of Manhattan’s skyscraper district. Self-sufficient and sustainable, it includes state-of-the-art urban design with its own power generation, clean water, advanced telecommunications, spacious roads, and tree-lined streets.

The project is privately funded by South Energyx Nigeria Limited – the developers/city planners and a subsidiary of the Nigeria-based Chagoury Group of companies – working in strategic partnership with the Lagos State Government and supported by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Notable national and international banks have been quick to capitalise on the opportunities with some of Nigeria’s biggest – FCMB, First Bank, Access Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank – partnering with Eko Atlantic, with support from BNP Paribas Fortis and KBC.

On March 31, the US consulate in Nigeria officially broke grounds on its new consulate building. Located on a 12.2-acre site in the rapidly developing Eko Atlantic City, the new US consulate general in Lagos will support diplomatic and commercial relations between the United States and Nigeria and will provide American and Nigerian Consulate employees with a safe, secure, sustainable, and modern workplace, a statement by the American Embassy said.

With the 19-year-old coastal city project gaining increased currency by day, there has been little surprise that the price of a square metre of land now stands at N714,178. It is also understood that this rate is precisely 40 per cent higher than the rates obtainable in the choicest places of Victoria Island, where Eko Atlantic City is located.

While weighing in their views, experts have cited factors ranging from security, quality, to the hype surrounding the project as reasons the cost of real estate at the coastal city is high.

In a chat with our correspondent, the Managing Director of MDS Properties, Mr David Mba, said the design of Eko Atlantic City had made it attractive to potential investors, hence the surge in demand despite its above-median cost.

He said, “There are many drivers that determine prices. One of them is the general inflationary rates. Two, this forex challenge that we are having in the country has an impact on virtually everything, from the commodity side of things to the real estate side of things. Everything is impacted. Three, there’s an uptick in demand. You know whenever there is demand, prices rise. Whenever there is a demand slump or over-supply, prices fall. What you are seeing at Eko Atlantic is also visible and mirrored in Banana Island as well, where prices are over a million per square metre.

“There is also this need for people to come into a place that is highly secure. Eko Atlantic City is larger than the entire Victoria Island. It is about two times the size of the entire Victoria Island. It is also a well-secured environment. So, there is a definite yearning for people to want to move into that place.”

On the other hand, the CEO of Global PFI, MKO Balogun, cited the cost implication of developing a city of that distinction as an inevitable reason why cost of real estate there would be considerably high.

“It’s a new creation. There’s a lot of costs that go into developing a new city, especially when you have to do reclamation. I don’t think it’s that expensive; the only reason we can say it’s expensive is to compare it with similar cities around the world. The cost of developing it is not what a local content will cost. If you follow the development of the city, you will find the calibre of consultants and engineers who have worked on developing the sand bank first before they start developing the city. There is a lot of cost that goes into that, so I don’t think it’s too expensive.”

According to Balogun, first-rate real estate development projects in Lagos, particularly on the Island, are creating a price dichotomy in the market, even with gentrification projects geared towards taking advantage of the strategic locations in Ikoyi as well as other high-brow areas.

He continued, “There are two other things you can also consider. Even in Lagos, when Banana Island first started, how much was the cost then and how much is the cost today? There is the new Lagos, it is another city being developed. What’s their current rate? It’s always from that perspective we can say whether the cost for Eko Atlantic is out of reach. I don’t think it is. Even in Ikoyi, if you look at the rate of properties in Ikoyi, the old Ikoyi that a lot of people are redeveloping, you will find out that it is almost at par with Banana Island, almost 70 per cent the cost of an average property in Banana Island.”

The Marketing Manager of a Lagos-based real estate firm, The Address Homes, Segun Ogunbiyi, also believed the cost of developing the coastal city was not unconnected with its exorbitant price.

According to him, the decision to buy real estate in the coastal city, for most firms, go beyond the hype associated with the project.

He added, “There are many factors: infrastructure is top-notch, and also the location. It is also privately owned; it is not government land. They’ve done a lot on the land. They’ve done sand-filling. They’ve done drainage; they’ve done a lot of things. It commands its own value. It is just unique on its own.

“In terms of comparative analysis with other emerging extensions, you find yourself within an environment where you are sure of 24 hours of power supply. You are sure of security 24 hours. You are also sure of the class of people you are meeting. It will increase your network, and when you increase your network, you increase your net worth.”

IPMAN said it had been unable to access supplies of the products from any of the six government-owned depots for the past six months.

By Olasunkanmi Akinlotan
 

The latest wave of fuel scarcity in the south-west region has spread to Ogun as major filling stations in the Abeokuta, the capital, have either shut down or are experiencing long queues of buyers.

Residents and motorists in the state woke up Saturday to long queues at the few filling stations selling fuel.

On Friday, queues surfaced in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, and its environs as the residents prepared for the governorship election.

A day earlier, motorists in Ibadan and other major towns in Oyo State groaned as fuel scarcity resurfaced in the state.

The Chairman of the South-West zone of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Dele Tajudeen, said on Wednesday that the association might instruct its members in the zone to increase the pump prices of fuel, as well as diesel if the appropriate federal government’s regulatory agency failed to address the continuous non-supply of the products to its members.

He said members of IPMAN in his chapter had been unable to access supplies of the products from any of the six government-owned depots for the past six months.

The NNPC mega station at Oke Mosan area of Abeokuta has not dispensed fuel for almost two days. On Saturday morning, its gates remained shut.

The Fatgbems Filling Station, located directly opposite the NNPC mega station, was yet to start dispensing fuel when our correspondent passed through the axis around 9:30 a.m.

However, a petrol tanker was seen parked within the facility waiting to discharge its content. The sight of the tanker prompted a long queue of prospective buyers in the station.

Long queues were also seen at the Mobil Filling Station at Kolobo/Panseke area; the same scenario unfolded at the NIPco station located close to Moore Junction.

The Mobil filling station at Eleweran was not dispensing fuel, while Ayomide Filling Station located less than 200 metres away was dispensing but with a long queue.

The NIPCo located along Alabata-Isolu-Emere axis was dispensing fuel but not without a long queue.

Enyo filling station, located at Asero, closed its gate to customers.

Residents also were seen going to the filling stations with various sizes of Jerry cans to purchase petrol either for their vehicles, or generators, among others.

A motorist, who gave his name as Sanni Rashidi, said what they are witnessing is how the last fuel scarcity, which started shortly after the importation of adulterated fuel, began.

“Hope we are not going to witness another round of fuel scarcity.”

By Chris Agabi

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is wooing investors to its proposed aviation city in Abuja, which will sit on an estimated 12,000 hectares of land around the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Some of the investment opportunities that exist in the aviation city include maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), hotels, aerotropolis, shopping malls and other facilities to be located within the city.

 Mr Sadiku Rafindadi, the Director, Commercial and Business Development of FAAN who spoke about the investment opportunities at the ongoing FAAN National Aviation Conference in Abuja, said FAAN is ready for business and it is willing to engage investors with bankable projects on how they can invest in the opportunities FAAN is offering.

“The investment opportunities that we have in FAAN are enormous, especially in terms of land. We have land for MROs, for hotels, land for warehousing and even farming, as long as the farming does not attract birds that would cause airplanes to have accidents,” Mr Rafindadi said.

 He said the new investment drive is to maximise the potential in the Nigerian aviation industry and make the 43 airports and airstrips profitable.

He said Nigeria’s passenger traffic is growing. “In 2020, the domestic and international passenger traffic stood at 9,358,186 as against 15,886,955 in 2021, representing a difference of 41%.

 “Analysts have forecasted that Nigeria’s passenger traffic will exceed that of the global aviation sector, as such, aviation remains pivotal to the socio-economic growth of Nigeria.

“Nigeria’s passenger traffic is expected to grow at 7% over the next 10 years, while the global industry remains at 5.3%,” he noted.

 He noted that “a recent aviation sector study for Nigeria by the International Air Transportation Association (lIATA) in June 2020 showcased the significant contribution of aviation to the national economy, by providing 241,000 jobs, directly and indirectly, supported through the aviation sector’s supply chain to the tune of $1.7 billion to the national economy.”

He said FAAN’s key initiative in promoting investment at the airports is partnering with the state governments and private sector to focus on safety and security, infrastructural development, growing domestic airlines through new route development and the designation of airports for improved performance and revenue creation. 

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Breakaway Turkish Cypriots on ethnically-divided Cyprus must do their share in stemming migrant arrivals, a senior European Union official said Saturday, as the number of asylum-seekers has shot up significantly so far this year.

European Commission Vice President Margharitis Schinas said that Turkish Cypriot authorities should also be held accountable for curbing migrant arrivals.

“We won’t let the Turkish Cypriot community to consider itself neutral in what is going on,” Schinas said after visiting upgraded facilities at the Pournara migrant reception camp outside the capital. “They must also assume their share of responsibility and we’ll find a way to remind them.”

Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup aimed at union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence. Cypriot government authorities say the overwhelming majority of migrant arrivals occurs via Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot north through a loosely regulated student visa system.

Thousands then cross a porous U.N.-controlled buffer zone to seek asylum in the Greek Cypriot south where the internationally recognized government is seated. Although Turkish Cypriots receive EU funding, only the south enjoys full membership benefits.

Schinas said EU Commissioner Elisa Ferreira will hold contacts in Cyprus in July to explore ways of best handling the issue. He also said Turkey has demonstrated a willingness to help ease the number of migrants arriving in Cyprus.

The EU will also help Cypriot authorities bolster monitoring and surveillance of the buffer zone to deter crossings in a way that is compatible with EU law since the 180-kilometer-long (120-mile-long) area isn't a formal border, Schinas said.

Cyprus Interior Minister Nicos Nouris said the number of asylum-seekers doubled to 10,000 in the first five months of this year compared to the same period in 2021, repeating that they make up an EU high of 5% of Cyprus’ 915,000-strong population in the south.

He said that Cypriot authorities are working with the EU to facilitate the return of asylum-seekers whose claims have been rejected as well as more funding from the 27 member-nation bloc to the tune of 72 million euros to build a new migrant reception center.

Although overcrowding at the Pournara center has been greatly alleviated in recent months, a 27-year-old Nigerian, Miracle Chidiebera, said there’s still plenty of anger among migrants over what he said is a chronic lack of water, poor food and congested facilities.

(Bloomberg) -- Wizz Air Holdings Plc said it will reinstate its jet-fuel hedging policy as volatile oil prices add to other surging costs for the airline industry and threatens to upend the sector’s recovery from the pandemic. 

Eastern Europe’s biggest discounter will “mirror” the hedging levels of its main peers and put additional jet fuel price caps in place for the second half of 2023, the carrier said in a stock exchange filing Thursday. The airline will also hedge its dollar exposure with regard to jet fuel, a sign of the increasing pressure on oil consumers. 

Wizz became one of the only major carriers in Europe to not hedge oil after a crash in demand at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic led to significant financial loss. Europe’s biggest discounter Ryanair Holdings Plc is 80% hedged at $63 a barrel and has said the policy will help keep costs down and gain an advantage of its rivals.

Ideally, airlines hedge prices before they rise because doing so is then much cheaper. The cost of protecting against Brent crude for December 2023 reaching $130 a barrel has climbed almost fivefold this year as oil prices have surged.

Europe’s airline industry is struggling to cope with the massive rebound in demand as rising inflation is pushing up costs for everything from fuel to staff, after two years of virtually no travel. 

Frustrated homeowners have hit out at the number of cars left in their streets, as holidaymakers look to avoid airport parking charges.

© Provided by MetroParts of South Bristol have been turned into a ‘giant unregulated car park’ (Picture: BPM)

People in Bristol say more and more vehicles are clogging up their their streets as summer approaches.

The south of the city has allegedly been turned into a ‘giant unregulated car park’.

Kings Head Lane, Marguerite Road and Poplar Road are key residential areas targeted by thrifty travellers.

Mike Willcox, who lives on Kings Head Lane, told ITV News: ’Last week, practically every car parked at the top of Kings Head Lane was for the airport with hardly any room for residents to park.

‘We get cars coming and going in the middle of the night, banging their car doors and boots, keeping people awake.’

Many are parking on the affected streets before catching the Airport Flyer bus to reach the airport.

Cars have used nearby residential areas for years, but there was a noticeable drop in traffic during the coronavirus pandemic.

© Provided by MetroHolidaymakers are leaving cars to catch the bus to Bristol Airport (Picture: Bristol Live/BPM Media)

But now, the situation has led to breaking point for some disgruntled residents.

Conservative councillor Richard Eddy has been trying to raise the issue with airport bosses.

He told ITV: ‘The number of airport passengers parking free of charge in residential streets has soared.

‘Householders have to endure motorists parked 24/7 outside their homes for a week or a fortnight.