South African Airways Faces Decline in Lagos Traffic

South African Airways (SAA) is struggling with declining passenger traffic on its Lagos route, primarily due to safety concerns and rising anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, SAA operated daily flights between Johannesburg and Lagos, but post-pandemic recovery saw a reduction in frequency from four to three flights weekly.

Renewed xenophobic attacks have halted this recovery, with flights often departing half-empty. The same frequency applies to Abuja, where SAA also operates three weekly flights.

Sources indicate that if market conditions do not improve, operational frequencies could drop to one or two flights weekly. Nigerian travelers are increasingly avoiding South Africa for leisure, with current traffic mainly for essential corporate training, medical care, and international conferences.

Ezekiel Ikotun, managing director of Finchglow Travels, confirmed a sharp decline in ticket sales, stating that travel agents are hesitant to promote South Africa due to safety concerns. This has led to a significant decrease in leisure tourism sales and a lack of promotional outreach from South African tourism representatives.