Drama as Abuja bound aircraft lands in Asaba, United Nigeria blames ‘bad weather’ for diversion

Passengers on a United Nigeria flight NUA 0504 which took off from Lagos to Abuja ‘shockingly’ found themselves at Asaba airport. Immediately after the aircraft landed at the Asaba airport, the cabin crew announced to the excited passengers that they had landed in Abuja.

As they looked through the aircraft windows, the reality dawned on them that they were actually in Asaba and not Abuja which bore the boarding pass they were holding and one that was originally their destination.

One of the passengers on his X handle@dawisu said the aircraft departed Lagos on a United Nigeria flight to Abuja and upon arrival, the cabin crew confidently announced that they had arrived in Abuja only for them to realize that they landed in Asaba.

‘Apparently, our pilot was given the wrong flight plan from Lagos”, he stated.

The airline in a swift reaction attributed the flight diversion to Asaba International Airport due to poor destination weather.

Head, of Corporate Communications, for the airline, Achileus-Chud Uchegbu said, ‘A United Nigeria Airlines Flight NUA 0504, operating from the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 in Lagos en route Abuja on November 26^th, 2023 was temporarily diverted to the Asaba International Airport due to poor destination weather.”

He noted that at all material times, the pilot of the aircraft was aware of the temporary diversion and was properly briefed.

“However a wrong announcement was made by the cabin crew upon landing safely in Asaba creating confusion among the passengers. Meanwhile, the aircraft landed safely in Abuja following an improvement in destination weather. United Nigeria remains committed to ensuring the safety of its passengers at all times.”

Wole Shadare