Amid Keyamo probe, Air Peace, Oshiomhole rift deepens

• AON backs airline, They have to defend themselves, says Senator
• Nigerian travellers extorted daily by carriers-George

While the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has ordered aviation agencies to investigate the incident involving Air Peace and former Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport domestic terminal on Wednesday, Airline operators of Nigeria (AON), the umbrella body for some airlines in Nigeria and Oshiomhole have continued to engage in brickbats, with each party justifying their positions or who erred or where the fault lies.

Spokesman for AON, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo who spoke at a press conference on Friday said the Air Peace, Oshiomhole saga has become a huge topic just as he exonerated Air Peace from the incident that occurred this week at the Lagos airport.

He said, “I know that this is a burning topic in Nigeria right now. It is really quite unfortunate. AON have had enough distractions, headache in order to offer service to Nigerians. What had happened two days ago of high profile Nigerian is just one other distraction. I have taken interests in all the press statements by the distinguished senator and also Air Peace. AON had also had the full brief of Air Peace on this incident and as a matter of fact, as much as we appreciate and understand that every passenger has a right but your right is only limited to what is allowed by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO)”.

The AON scribe who is also the chairman of United Nigeria Airlines said, “No amount of any disappointment at all from any airline to resort to self-help. It is not acceptable. It is a respected airline no matter what you say about it. They carry 30 to 40% passengers of all the domestic passengers. They deserve respect. It is somebody’s investment and start now demonizing the airline. I can see some kind of malice in it. It is way too far and as a matter of fact, as operators, we have looked at those things and we do not see any logic in it.”

“We have seen a number of airlines that say Air Peace is delaying. Air Peace is now saying that we don’t want to delay. For them to leave passengers behind, they are ready to lose revenue than for them to be on time. I think that we should be clapping for Air Peace than to demonise them. How would you now satisfy the passenger or what else can we do to be of service to Nigerians”

He said he had directed the aviation agencies to exercise restraint in jumping into conclusions in line with time-honoured legal principle of ‘hear all sides’ before reaching judgment.

Whilst appealing to both sides to halt the public accusations and counter accusations, he further directed the relevant aviation agencies to thoroughly look into the issue, collect all available evidence and revert to his office so that, ‘We can deal with the issue in such a way as to guide future conducts in similar situations”.

Oshiomhole, while reacting to AON said he was not surprised with comments from Okonkwo on the matter, saying “I have read what they said and I will sit down and write a comprehensive response based on facts and evidence that I have. The so-called association of airline adopted Air Peace’s version. They have to defend themselves.”

“That is not my problem at all. It is their word. The good thing is that this matter will be determined by Nigerian travelling public. Those who were there that day and frustrated and were denied … At least we have the phone numbers of some of them whom I have to send N500, 000 to be able to travel who had a baby. It is not going to be their word against my word. The airline operators, were they gathered at the scene of the incident?

Executive Director, African Travel Commission (ATC), Dr. Lucky Onoriode George expressed concern over the attitude of many of the country’s airlines towards their passengers.

George, who was one of the passengers allegedly maltreated by Air Peace alongside Oshiomhole and several other persons arrived well ahead of time  even before some minutes past 5am that were still not allowed to board while selling fresh tickets to other passengers at exorbitant rate.

“Upon seeing Oshiomhole wjho arrived well before time and had checked in online, we approached him and explained the unfair treatment we were facing. I voiced my concern about the recurring exploitation and poor service endured by Nigerian travellers; a situation largely caused by limited capacity of domestic carriers such as Air Peace. Senator Oshiomhole intervened on our behalf. He approached an individual who identified himself as a supervisor and requested an explanation and possible resolution”.

“This was particularly pressing given that we had been informed that tickets were still being sold that morning for as much as N250, 000. Following further discussion, Senator Oshiomhole was eventually offered a seat on the 8.30am flight. The rest of us were asked to pay between N50, 000 and N109, 000 fare differentials. He strongly objected to this , rightly insisting that the airline, not the passengers should bear the cost of its operational failure”.

The conduct of Air Peace staff throughout this ordeal was appalling, marked by arrogance and shocking lack of empathy.

George welcomed the probe of the saga, stressing that it would make the aviation regulatory body to live up to its responsibility in over-sighting the sector especially airlines that are ‘extorting Nigerians’.

Wole Shadare