Chaotic scenes at Lagos, Abuja airports over flight delays, disruptions

*Passengers bemoan ‘poor’ services despite fare hike

Several travellers during this festive period are finding seamless air travel less accessible at various airports nationwide. The challenge, The Guardian observed, is not unconnected with weather disruptions, inadequate infrastructure and equipment to cope with traffic surges and chaotic scheduling on the part of operators.

The attendant pains and frustration, as expressed by stranded travellers, are causing stirs, unruly scenes and extra demands from the regulators to ease discomforts.

The airlines also have their fair share of frustration, dealing with restless and unruly passengers that further worsen the disruption. Despite the premium currently charged by airline operators and seat scarcity on most flights, The Guardian observed packaged domestic terminals in Lagos and Abuja airports.

At the Abuja Airport on Wednesday afternoon, the domestic terminal was packed to the brim and congested. A total of 12 local carriers have passengers scheduled to various destinations but are constricted to just one boarding gate.

In one instance, Ibom Air was boarding Enugu; Umzah Air to Yola; Aero Contractors and Rano Air to Sokoto; United Nigeria, Arik Air, ValueJet, and Xejet were all heading to Lagos; while Air Peace had Lagos, Ibadan and Port Harcourt destination on the cue.

“This is a total mess, to say the least,” muttered a flustered male adult passenger, who had combed the entire terminal in search of a vacant seat without luck.

Some Air Peace passengers had the loudest complaints. For instance, the airline’s flight to Port Harcourt was first delayed till noon. The rescheduling further shifted till 3.30 p.m., much to the discomfort of its checked-in passengers.

The delay was blamed on operational reasons. Via the public addressing system, the airline announced that a similar flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt had been diverted to Abuja due to weather changes.

The delayed passengers were, however, invited for some light refreshments. While this was ongoing and barely 10 minutes later, Ibom Air made a boarding call for Port Harcourt, causing a protest among Air Peace customers heading to the same destination.

An Air Peace passenger, Benedict Akinsiku, expressed frustration over the flight delay. “What am I to do with the can of Coke called refreshments? It is unbecoming of this airline to take customers for granted.

“How come Ibom Air is heading to a destination that Air Peace says is not weather-friendly? I bought this ticket at a premium price of N230,000. If there is no commensurate value for the cost, why raise the cost?” Akinsiku queried.

Another passenger, Mohammed, on the Abuja-Lagos flight had his departure time changed from 7.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. last Wednesday. The departure was further shifted to 9.30 and 10.30 p.m. in quick succession.

“From that 10.30 p.m., there was no communication from Air Peace. The flight was not cancelled, yet we do not know the departure time. The airline offered us nothing (refreshments), and the hunger among the passengers was out of this world. It was like a dead-end; you could not just go back to town because it was midnight, yet there was nothing about the actual departure or the time to reach your Lagos destination. We didn’t start boarding until 1.45 a.m. and arrived in Lagos at 3.12 a.m. That was a flight originally scheduled for 7.00 p.m. the previous day! Thank you, Air Peace.”

A station manager told The Guardian earlier that weather changes caused the disruptions. He said: “I understand that the weather changed suddenly (in Port Harcourt on Wednesday) while the aircraft was approaching the airport from Lagos. The operating aircraft had to divert to Abuja to land.

“Now, there are passengers on the 8.30 a.m. belt in Port Harcourt, waiting to board the flight diverted to Abuja. Meanwhile, other passengers are waiting to board the same aircraft to Port Harcourt. We are facing a serious challenge, but I will keep appealing for your patience,” the staff said.

In a statement yesterday, United Airlines notified the general public that its Lagos-Asaba flight, initially scheduled for 6.30 a.m. on Thursday, December 19, was delayed due to an unfortunate incident involving an unruly passenger.

“This individual physically assaulted a crew member after everyone had boarded and the door of the aircraft was firmly shut,” UNA’s management stated. The commotion caused by this passenger lasted a long time, and for safety reasons and by international aviation protocols, the aircraft was grounded, resulting in an hours-long delay.

“Unfortunately, this disruption may have a reverberating effect on other flights across our network and may cause more delays and cancellations. We are deeply sorry about this.

“We understand and respect our passengers’ right to express their concerns. However, it is important to emphasise that any form of physical or verbal assault against any crew member is a serious offence under international aviation laws and is strictly prohibited. Such behaviour not only endangers the safety and security of everyone on board but also disrupts the travel plans of fellow passengers,” the statement read in part.

The airline urged its passengers to use appropriate channels, such as customer service hotlines or online feedback forms, to address any issues or dissatisfaction. This ensures that concerns are handled efficiently and respectfully without compromising the safety and comfort of other passengers.