An international lawyer, Emmanuel Ogebe, and 38 other passengers of Ibom Air have petitioned the minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, seeking investigation over a flight delay and alleged hijack of aircraft to fly a so-called VIP.
The passengers, in the petition made available to TheNiche on Saturday, said the Ibom Air airplane they were to board from Lagos to Abuja was for 3pm but it was delayed for over five hours.
They called on Keyamo to probe the incident, sanction the airline appropriately and compensate customers.
“We write as multinational passengers who were stranded at Lagos airport by Ibom Air on the 3pm flight Q1554 to Abuja which was delayed for over five hours allegedly because one dignitary commandeered the aircraft for personal travel to a different destination,” the petition read.
“Accordingly we are petitioning you to:
INVESTIGATE: As experienced travelers from different continents and countries, we’re fully conversant with “VIP movement” delays which is when a top official’s plane’s flight requires stoppage of all others for security reasons. However the seizure of a commercial passenger aircraft for private use of an individual thereby stranding hapless passengers is a new low in systems abuse in Nigeria and must be investigated by your office with immediacy.
“COMPENSATE (REFUND EXTRA CHARGES) Amongst us were some very pathetic cases to name but a few: A passenger who was denied boarding at 10:25am for the 11am flight – allegedly for lateness – who was rebooked on the 3pm flight and charged N30,000 then delayed till 8pm! From her arrival at the airport till arrival in Abuja was over 11hours – equal to flying from Lagos to New York.
“A passenger who was on the 6pm flight but charged N25000 to fly earlier on the 3pm flight only for his original 6pm flight to depart before the 3pm flight.
“Passengers who paid extra for these changes need to be compensated more in addition to general compensation for all others due to their peculiar aggravated circumstances.
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“COMPENSATE (GENERAL AND AGGRAVATED) We are gratified to note that just a week ago, an agency of your ministry alerted the flying public to be vigilant in asserting their consumer rights. According to the News Agency of Nigeria:
“’The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has affirmed that passengers are entitled to compensation for flight delay, cancellation, luggage delay, missing or loss by airlines.
‘Contributing, the NCAA director of special duties, Horatius Egua, urged passengers to know their rights regarding the aviation sector.
‘He stated that challenges the authority encountered included, lack of awareness among passengers, limited enforcement of consumer rights, inadequate infrastructure and corruption.
‘NCAA has emphasised increased passenger education and awareness, strengthening of regulatory agencies, improved airline customer service and enhanced infrastructure development
‘By knowing your rights as a consumer, you can advocate for better treatment and services in Nigeria’s aviation sector,’ he said.
‘On her part, Ifueko Abdulmalik, the senior special adviser to the NCAA acting director general, Capt. Chris Najomo, said the airline ought to provide clear terms and conditions and also ensure timely departure and arrival.’ https://gazettengr.com/airlines-must-compensate-for-flight-disruptions-baggage-loss-ncaa/ October 24, 2024.
“From the above, it is abundantly clear that there are existing regulations that mandate compensation for our delay and we wish your good office to enforce and ventilate our rights and due compensation accordingly.
“Similarly given the report that the aircraft was arbitrarily diverted for illicit purposes (as it is not a charter) we seek aggravated damages from Ibom Air for this gross abuse of its customers.
“It goes without saying that Ibom Air should be sanctioned if proven that they stranded dozens of paying customers just to transport a Nigerian ‘big man’ to an event.”
The passengers recalled how during the Sani Abacha military era, a Nigerian sports minister delayed the return of the victorious Super Eagles from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics because he claimed the Nigerian Airways plane sent to pick them did not have a first class cabin for him.
They noted that the said minister made the plane return to Nigeria to be changed while the nation lost several days of productivity as a public holiday had been declared to receive the soccer champions.
They added, “Hon. Minister, we cannot return to the personalization of state assets of the brutal Abacha era where Abacha’s son misused a presidential jet and crashed it. This is a taxpayer funded airline but we were also paying customers in a purely commercial contract. This is unacceptable!
“In addition, the Hon. Minister will recall that Libya recently stranded Nigerian soccer players at an airport for hours after diverting their aircraft mid-air in a malicious act of sabotage. The football regulatory authorities have forfeited their match with a historic 3-0 goal award to Nigeria and a $50,000 fine. We ask that in like manner you impose penalties on Ibom Air as needful.
“Hon Minister, it is now incumbent on you as the top aviation executive of your nation to advocate for justice for air travelers in your airspace. If your U.S. counterpart could obtain $4million over Lufthansa’s mistreatment of passengers just two weeks ago, what more a Senior Advocate of Nigeria?
“We urge you to achieve justice similarly for victims of aviation abuses in Nigeria especially in the instant case.”
