AirPeace airline has blacklisted a passenger for his unruly behaviour during check- in formalities at General Aviation Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.
The passenger was said to have become enraged and destroyed the airlines check- in counter as he claimed the process was too slow.
In a letter dated May 16th 2018 and addressed to the passenger, the airline described his conduct as unacceptable insisting that the passenger’s violent conduct constituted a safety risk to other members of the flying public and its staff.
The Corporate Communications Manager of the airline, Mr. Chris Iwarah who confirmed the development, said they had to take this measure to check the growing trend of attacks and violence by air travellers in the country.
According to him, they were currently reviewing about 14 similar cases to determine the appropriate action to take, adding that in the last few months, their staff have frequently been attacked by aggrieved passengers at the slightest excuse.
During the check-in formalities of our Lagos-Abuja Flight P47128 at the General Aviation Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday, May 15, an impatient passenger standing in the queue suddenly flew into a rage and destroyed one of our computers. The unruly passenger claimed he destroyed the check-in system because the process was too slow.
“We were, therefore, compelled by the need to guarantee the safety of members of the flying public and our staff to blacklist the passenger and to signal our resolve to henceforth penalise violent conduct towards our valued guests and staff as well as view unwarranted destruction of our facilities very seriously. We are currently reviewing about 14 similar cases to determine the appropriate action to take. In the last few months alone, our staff have frequently been attacked by aggrieved passengers at the slightest excuse. Facilities costing huge sums have also been destroyed in the process. This easy resort to violence by unruly passengers often results in flight disruptions, delays and frustrates our resolve to deliver the best flight experience to the flying public. This trend poses a grave danger to the lives of our esteemed guests and staff and such unruly passengers are no longer welcome on any of our flights.
“While we will continue to take all reasonable steps within our capacity to check violent conduct, we urge the regulatory authorities and security agencies to take a tough stand against this trend to ensure that the safety of law-abiding travellers and aviation staff is not compromised.”
They urge the regulatory authorities and security agencies to take a tough stand against this trend to ensure that the safety of law-abiding travellers and aviation staff was not compromised.
“Air Peace had in the past issued different statements warning that it would no longer tolerate attacks on its staff and destruction of its facilities by passengers. In April 2017 when some passengers attacked its staff and destroyed its facilities at different airports in the country, the carrier issued a statement warning that “we can no longer tolerate unruly passengers.”
The airline however, assured that it would continue to regard genuine grievances by air travellers seriously and address them with dispatch.
