At least three local airlines have shown signs of early recovery from COVID-19 lockdown, with the reopening of closed routes and additional frequencies on traditional routes.

Exactly a week after commercial airlines resumed flight services on Lagos-Abuja route, local airlines are struggling to sustain operations and meet cost as load factor hovers around 40 per cent.

Local airlines have been urged to shift focus to air cargo operations to enhance the chances of survival during the current restriction in passenger services and the difficult recovery that lies ahead.

Local airlines have shutdown scheduled services over massive slump in passenger traffic and inability to cover the cost of operation.

With a total of 46 functional aircraft in local operations as at today, the airlines pay over N5 billion in fleet insurance yearly, with another N5billion on passenger coverage for about 10 million annual traffic.