By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT—There was drama, yesterday, at the Port Harcourt International Airport in Rivers State as aggrieved passengers reportedly prevented a Lagos bound Arik aircraft from taking off for about 30 minutes.

It took the pleas of several persons at the airport to pacify the passengers who blocked the tarmac for the aircraft to take off.

One of the passengers, Mr Ohonda, told Vanguard that they were initially scheduled to fly on the aircraft by 9a.m., but the flight was later rescheduled for 1.30p.m.

He said: “The that flight was initially for 9a.m., but was rescheduled to 1.30p.m. During boarding the Arik workers did not follow the manifest. They sneaked other people into the aircraft.”

Continuing, he said the aggrieved passengers had to mobilise and block the tarmac, insisting that the aircraft would not take off. He said that after several appeals, the passengers withdrew from the tarmac. Ohonda later flew Airpeace to Lagos.

Arik air staff declined to comment on the incident.