By John Amoda
FLIGHT AJ 132 was scheduled to depart Abuja Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport for Lagos at 7pm or 19.00hrs. I was booked on that flight being unable to travel with AERO Flight AJ128 whose departure Abuja-Lagos was scheduled for 14:45.

For changing my flight from AJ 128 to AJ 132, Aero charged me a fee of N3,000 for which receipt No. 0865958 dated February 13, 2012 was issued. My wife and I were to travel on AJ128 that was to arrive Lagos 16.00. AJ 128 arrived Lagos much later because AERO Authorities were shopping for aviation fuel to fly the plane.

At 19hrs when AJ132 should take-off AERO announced a 50 minutes delay “due to operational Reasons”. At 20hrs when the weary traveler was expecting to board AJ132 AERO announced a further delay of one hour again due to “Operational reasons”. At 21hrs AERO announced its plane taking passengers to Lagos would arrive Abuja 22hrs. At this announcement the straw that broke the camel’s back was added. AERO took no step to show any contrition. IRS that was delayed offered its passengers food and drinks. Not AERO. No AERO official came to explain what specifics were described OPERATIONAL REASONS.

Explanation was left to the Captain who explained the delay as caused by scarcity of aviation fuel. AERO AJ132 touched ground in Lagos at 0040 minutes and passengers were collecting their luggage at 1am February 14, Valentine’s Day. Given the security condition of the country AERO should have offered travellers after two hours delay an option of night in a hotel and first flight February 14 for those who lived in faraway places like Lekki and Ajah or those who were famished and tired.

AERO was arrogantly callous and indifferent, hiding under the catch-all cover of “Operational Reasons”. Passengers weighing options of protests eventually decided as follows:

*That AERO’s actions of unconscionable delays typical of the aviation industry, local and international, was to be protested;

*That a letter dealing specifically with AERO AJ132 should be sent to the Senate’s Committee on Aviation praying for stricter protection of travellers from such exploitative conduct evinced in AERO’s “operational reasons” larcenies.

*That this protest should be published and to that effect the passengers wrote their names and their flight particulars to show their resolve to press this matter till remedial action by the regulatory authorities were taken. For a start the passengers on Flight AJ 132 are asking for full refund of their fares, plus what Sheraton would charge for bed, dinner and breakfast. AERO charges customers for “no shows”, compels them to have their economy tickets upgraded to business for passengers who must travel.

AERO that no longer provides refreshment to its customers should be held accountable to the spirit of contract entered into through sales of its tickets for scheduled flights.

The aviation authorities have said there was no place in the industry for indigent airlines. They owe to passengers a duty to examine the economics of the explanation of flight delays owing to scarcity of aviation fuels.

Is it the case that airlines would enter into contracts with customers, issue them boarding passes with seats allocation and then go hunting for four hours for aviation fuel to fly their customers to their destination at unwholesome hours of the night? About 55 passengers were on board that aircraft but here are   the particulars of some of the passengers of AJ132:

1EMMANUEL PHILIP   ZQFEZM                                         08060157984

2LEKAN ASUM          ZQFPICE                                          08033050938

3OYUBE ATTUF   ZQEZSV                                           08037135233

4ABDULKADIR LAWAL   ZQFGEW                                         08036688160

5 MICHAEL ABHULIMEN    ZQFJEK                                            08055065078

6 OKHIGBOCHIE G.I   ZQEYWW                                         08067754655

7 YAHAY U      ZQDTOS                                          08033040134

8 IORTYER N. J  ZQFUPD                                           08033107749

9 MRS. ADEBOWALE CHIOMA        ZQFUON                                         08033333055

10 MR. VICTOR IHEKWEAZU    ZPXCIL                                              08033018974

11 MR. EMEKA OKPOKO   ZPZBFI       08033087194

12 MR. OSARO EGHABAMIEN      ZPZBFI    08033041631

13MR. IRETIOLU ONIYIDE

14 CHINONSO R. SAMUEL              ZQBFSM    07038530909

15SANI MAMMAN ABDUL-CHIYA             ZQFULZ