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61 Abuja-bound passengers ‘stranded’ in Chad over Air France’s plane technical fault
…. To airlift travellers on Monday, Minister charges CPD to engage carrier
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was in a series of discussions with Air France on how to speedily bring back 52 passengers to Abuja from Chad.
The Air France aircraft was said to be heading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja when it had a technical problem and diverted to Chad following a fault the crew noticed.
Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the NCAA, Michael Achimugu who spoke to Aviation Metric Saturday night said the 61 Abuja-bound passengers had been put in two hotels by the carrier after it was discovered that the airplane had a technical issue and decided to land in Chad.
Achimugu further stated that the passengers would have been brought back tomorrow but for the fact that the carrier does not have a schedule for today, stressing that the agreement reached with the carrier indicated that they would arrive in Abuja at 9.30 am on Monday.
He said, “We are advising the airline to bring them in tomorrow (Sunday). We are in discussion with them. A plane is leaving Charles De Gaulle Airport on Sunday and we are hoping they will take them on Sunday.”
“What happened was that the aircraft carrying those passengers had a technical issue due to bad weather. 61 of the passengers have been accommodated in two very good hotels. We are on top of the situation”.
Earlier, the Minister o Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo had put up a post on his verified X handle to say that he had been informed that some Nigerians on Air France flight from Paris to Abuja were presently stranded in Chad.
He said he had directed the consumer protection department of the NCAA to swing into action and engage Air France on the issue.
According to him, “It has come to my attention that Nigerians on an Air France flight from Paris to Abuja are presently stranded in Chad, from where the flight earlier dropped some passengers. I have immediately directed the Consumer Protection Department of the NCAA to swing into action and engage Air France.”
“We shall inform everyone of the outcome soon. Meanwhile, I urge Air France to immediately issue a statement on the fate of the stranded Nigerians ” he added.
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