Technical fault grounds BA’s aircraft in Lagos, passengers put on other flights

…Carrier apologises to customers

Mega carrier, British Airways has attributed the inability to fly out of Nigeria to a technical fault to its airplane at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

The carrier however said that it had been in contact with its customers and apologised for the delay to their flight, adding that the majority of customers have been re-accomodated on other flights.

The carrier noted that its team was working hard to book the remaining customers on a flight as soon as possible.

While the delay lasted, the carrier’s Regional Commercial Manager Nigeria & Ghana, Mrs. Tutu Otuyalo said, “We will cover accommodation and meal costs for customers. We would never operate a flight unless it is safe to do so. Most of the affected passengers have been re-accommodated to other flights.”

A source who revealed that the spares needed to replace the fault on the aircraft have already been flown to the country and are presently being fixed assured that the passengers will be airlifted as soon as this is done.

While some of the affected passengers have been endorsed on other available carriers like Virgin Atlantic and Delta Air Lines and other carriers the BA has alliances with, others who could not be put on other airlines or other BA flights have all been put in hotels with their feeding and other needs taken care of.

The hitch the source said only affected the June 19th flight, as other flights by the same airline have been operating successfully.

Barring further delays, the remaining passengers may be flown out of the Lagos airport on Friday evening or Saturday.

The source, however, said that since the challenge occurred, no single passenger has been left unattended to or allowed to sleep at the airport, as they have all been taken care of.

The British Airlines flight number BA 74, which was scheduled to depart from Lagos to London at 10:50 on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, suffered a hitch as the scheduled aircraft developed technical problems.

The flight was finally cancelled after 1:00 a.m., with passengers being asked to cancel their immigration forms and go back to baggage claims to collect their already checked-in luggage.

Wole Shadare