Nigeria, April 17 -- The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) says its warning to suspend flight operations stems from what it described as an "unsustainable" surge in aviation fuel prices, insisting that the industry has reached a breaking point after weeks of absorbing rising costs.

The association had, in a letter dated 14 April and addressed to fuel marketers, warned that its members could halt operations from 20 April over the steep increase in Jet A1 prices. The letter, which was also copied to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and security and regulatory agencies, sparked widespread public concern over the state of the aviation sector.

Fol...