…….Arik to pay $150 compensation
……airline blames aircraft problem
…..passengers vowed never to patronize nigerian airlines
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, is to sanction Arik Air for the inhuman treatment of its London passengers over delayed luggage.
Director, consumer protection, NCAA, Mallam Adamu Abdullahi who disclosed this after addressing the affected passengers at the murtala Muhammed international airport in Lagos, said each passenger would be entitled to a $150 as compensation.
The atmosphere at the arik air counters was tensed as passengers whose luggage failed to arrive yesterday since landing at the airport last week Saturday demanded the concerned authorities at the airport to prevail on the airline to give them their luggage.
With this situation, passenger facilitation was disrupted and the counter deserted as security officials look on helplessly.
To prevent a breakdown of peace, the International airport manager, Nehemiah Auta said arrangements were being made to take the passengers to the hotel.
” we are trying to make arrangements to take to a hotel to avoid a breakdown of law and order ,we sympathize with them”
This however was taken with a pitch of salt as Some of the passengers an interview said the airline had been insensitive to their plight after spending three days in the hotel without any information from the airline regarding their luggage.
“I have been making arrangements for the past six months and now see what Arik Air has done to me. Since I came I have been putting on this black and black as if I am going for a funeral for the past five days. I have not changed my clothes. Is this fair? He asked rhetorically.
Also narrating his ordeal, another passenger, who claimed that he was to attend a burial ceremony said all the items for the burial including his clothes are inside his yet to be delivered luggage .
Another stranded out bound passenger declared, “See what Arik Air is doing to me now. The flight that was supposed to depart for London at 11am has not departed as at 3pm. I put myself in this situation. It is not Arik’s fault.” He said
It took the intervention of the managing director, federal airports authority of nigeria, FAAN, Mr. Saleh Dunoma, officials of the Airforce, police and the director, consumer protection, nigeria civil aviation authority , NCAA , Mallam Adamu Abdullahi to calm the aggrieved passengers.
The NCAA director, Mallam Adamu Abdullahi said an investigation into the matter has commenced and its outcome would be met with severe sanctions.
” Arik has failed to honour the contract between them and these passengers, according to civil aviation regulations, the airline will pay the due compensation of $150 and we have commenced investigation into the matter and it will be handled with utmost urgency. The Authority frown on infringing on passengers right, they will answer to this I assure you”
According to him, “The compensation for delayed luggage according to Montreal Convention of 1999 is $150, Arik has failed in its duty because that compensation should have come the moment the passenger lands without his bag. They have not done that and they are agreeing with the passengers who agreed to waived part of his right to collect N50 as against to $150″
He continued, “We have also directed Arik to bring in the balance of their luggage for all passengers in the next 24 hours, we have written Arik in that direction and they are complying but that does not stop sanction because violation has taken place.”
Giving reasons for the development, the airline in a statement explained that a change in aircraft due to maintenance on its operational aircraft scheduled on the Lagos-London route since December 1, 2016 has constrained the airline to leave some baggage behind.
