Comfort Emmanson seat mate on Ibom Air says Air Hostess was troublesome
By Ishaya Ibrahim
David Ogede, an eye witness to the Ibom Air saga has shed more light into what triggered the row between a passenger, Comfort Emmanson, and an air hostess, which later led to a bigger escalation with other crew members of the airline.
David Ogede, said he sat next to Comfort Emmanson on the Ibom Air flight.
In his account posted on X and later delivered via interview on Channels Television, he blamed the air hostess for heating up a rather small issue into a major conflict.
Ogede said: “There were only two air hostesses on the plane which I presume to be as a result of the size of the plane. One of the hostesses approached us and gave us the regular briefing for passengers sitting on the emergency exit. This hostess was exceptionally kind, polite and amiable. I will refer to her henceforth as hostess 1. After the briefing she asked Miss.Emmanson politely twice to switch off her phone. I noticed thereafter that Miss. Emmanson was fiddling with her phone with some uncertainty.
“After hostess 1 left to continue her duties, hostess 2 came with an almighty huff and told Miss. Emmanson to switch off her phone with a very high voice. Miss. Emmanson in a low voice tried to explain to hostess 2 that the buttons on her phone for switch off were not working so she did not know how to switch off the phone. Hostess 2 rebuffed her and kept insisting that she switches off the phone. Hostess 2 then told her that the phone she was holding was an iPhone which did not require buttons to switch off. The lady now asked the hostess to assist her switch off the phone and hostess 2 replied “I am not touching your phone”. Hostess 2 now told her to go to settings and from there click on general. The lady now responded in an even lower voice saying “please I cannot read and don’t know what you said I should do. Can you just help me?” Hostess 2 now retorted “Please I don’t have time for your nonsense. Better switch off that phone immediately”.
“The gentleman sitting to my left in seat 14A and I were flabbergasted when we heard this and could not believe that an air hostess could speak so condescendingly and unnecessarily humiliate a passenger, perhaps because she was a single female. We then intervened and asked the gentleman sitting next to the lady by the window of her row to assist her. He collected the phone and was assisting her. Miss. Emmanson then started asking hostess 2 if there was anything wrong with being unable to read and why she had to humiliate her like that to the whole public. Hostess 2 now told Miss. Emmanson to keep quiet or else she would deal with her. At this point Miss. Emmanson started cursing and told her she could do nothing to her. Hostess 2 then said “ok, you will see” then she left in a puff and proceeded to the cockpit and never came back.
“Some passengers sitting afar who did not know what truly transpired were shouting for Miss. Emmanson to switch off her phone. However, the passenger in seat 14A and I rose up stoutly and defended her and when they heard our explanations they all calmed down and the flight took off.
“Throughout the flight Miss. Emmason was upset and simmering. She kept on discussing the situation with the gentleman on her right till the plane landed. She was obviously quite annoyed. I also noticed that Hostess 2 kept peeping at our row throughout the flight. She stayed upfront in the plane most of the time if I recollect correctly. Hostess 1 on the other hand was completely oblivious of the raging storm (at least I thought so) and was kind, polite and professional throughout. Hostess 1 gave extra water to Miss. Emmanson when she asked for it in-flight and also helped her with bringing out and returning her food tray when snacks were served and also as we were approaching landing. Hostess 1 also helped put away some of Miss. Emmansonthings in the cabin above before landing.
“Once the plane landed, the gentleman in seat 14A and I joked that we had better get out quickly before a war breaks out. We both expressed hope that nothing happened as we disembarked. Disembarkation was being done row by row and just before it got to our turn, Miss. Emmanson exited her seat to the back of the plane and I presumed she went to the toilet. We happily disembarked and I forgot all about the spat in the plane until I started seeing all the videos and statements flying unabatedly. I hope the other gentlemen who witnessed this unfortunate incident on row 14 along with me will speak up and corroborate all I have said, which is the truth. I am ready to stand by all I have said here and will be glad to stand as a witness if need be for Miss Emmanson.
Conclusion
1. Miss. Emmanson never at any time refused to switch off her phone for take-off.
2. Hostess 2 acted very poorly and inflamed a rather simple and small matter. And this is putting it mildly.
3. Hostess 1 was exceptional and if she were the one that handled the entire episode, this would not have happened.
4. Ibom Air needs to do better in training their staff to learn to be sensitive and empathetic where necessary.
5. Miss. Emmanson’s reactions, though founded on grave unwarranted humiliation and provocation, has no place in any sane society and should not be encouraged.”
