Again Medview fails to airlift stranded passengers

Medview Airlines has again failed to airlift stranded passengers from Lagos and London for the second day running, further compounding their woes.

Most of the stranded passengers expressed disappointment with the turn of event, lamenting the psychological torture they had been subjected since last week.

The Lagos-London flight was rescheduled to depart the country at 1.30pm today, but failed to do so like the previous day, Sunday.

The flight VL 0209, was however rescheduled to depart the country again today.

However, the airline source told our correspondent that the stranded passengers of the airline in London Gatwick may be brought back to the country today with the new aircraft the airline leased in Europe.

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos no staff of the airline was seen, a situation some people say was deplorable. All the airline’s counters at the airport were closed.

The airline told our correspondent that the management had communicated to the affected passengers via emails and text messages.

One of the passengers who was among the people lodged in a hotel told Woleshadare.net under condition of anonymity that the passengers had been assured that they would be airlifted today by 11am.

She said it appears that the airline may have resolved whatever its problems are. “We keep our fingers crossed till tomorrow”,she said with so much pain on her face.

A source blamed the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for its inability to provide certification for its newly acquired wet leased aircraft.

It was also gathered that two passengers on board of the airline; Mr. Maurice Uwa and Mr. Akinola Olumide who had urgent visa issues were airlifted on another airline on Mondaywhile those who came from outside Lagos were given hotel accommodation.

Besides, 15 other passengers were put on Turkish Airlines while some of those who paid cash were refunded as well.

Med-View had on Sunday assured that it would airlift the stranded passengers in Lagos, Nigeria at 3pm on Monday, but failed to do so.

 

A statement by its Media Consultant, Mr. Oyibotha Obuke had regretted the inconveniences suffered by the affected passengers and everything possible within Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) in aviation was being done to airlift them.

It would be recalled that at least 120 London bound passengers of the Nigerian carrier have been stranded in Lagos since Sunday while the London passengers have also been abandoned in London since last Wednesday.