By Chinelo Obogo
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) may sanction Turkish Airlines for the alleged maltreatment of passengers who were left stranded at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday.
At a media briefing in its Lagos office on Wednesday, the agency’s spokesperson, Micheal Achimugu, said the regulator was informed of the plight of Nigerian passengers who were unable to fly to their destination via Turkish Airlines due to the picketing of the company by the Nigerian Labour Congress. The labour union commenced the picketing of the airline in Lagos on Tuesday in a bid to make the carrier reinstate staff that were allegedly dismissed unjustly, forced to abandon duties or forced to resign, including those victimised for their union membership in 2020.
In a notice sent out on Monday, which was signed by the acting general secretary, Chris Ufot, the NLC stated that all affiliate unions in aviation were charged to mobilise for the picketing without fail, adding that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council was to stand by in case there was a need to escalate the matter to Abuja airport.
In strict obidience to the directive, the union members, on Tuesday, turned out en masse with placards to disrupt the airline’s operations in Lagos, as a result, passengers were stranded. However, they lamented the shabby treatment meted to them by the management of the airline, as they claimed they were not attended to or given any explanation as they waited endlessly at the airport.
Many of the passengers said that there were no other direct flights from Italy to Nigeria, hence, Turkish Airline had become the choice of many Nigerians in Italy.
In response to their plight, the NCAA spokesperson said on Wednesday, that it has directed the airline to immediately provide accommodation for the stranded passengers and also revealed that it will commence mediation between the airline and the union. However, the regulator said that if any infraction on the part of the airline is discovered, it would not hesitate to mete out appropriate sanctions.
“The plight of those passengers is a source for concern to the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo and the Director General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo. Because of this, the NCAA consumer protection department, invited the airline to find out the cause of the problem and what would happen to the stranded passengers. During the meeting the airline explained the issue it has with the unions and the agency has agreed to mediate between both parties. As a result of the picketing, the airline has cancelled flights for Wednesday and Thursday but we would be mediating between the airline and the unions on Thursday and where the NCAA has noticed any infractions on the side of the airline as regards to part 19 of our regulations, sanctions may, if necessary, be dished out. With regards to the stranded passengers, the DG has instructed the airline to provide accommodation and where they fail to, they can monetise.
“It should be noted that during this meeting, the country manager of the airline exhibited unruly behaviour and while the NCAA strongly condemns such behaviour. Before today, there have been reports of insolence on the part of the airline’s country manager and during our meeting, he displayed that attitude. He was violent, shouting and banging on our desk. It took the intervention of the DG who joined the meeting virtually, to bring the situation under control. That behaviour gives us an insight into what may possibly be the experience of the passengers because if you can treat the regulator in that manner, how would you then treat helpless Nigerians, especially those outside Nigeria,” Achimugu said.