Again, Arik Air passengers stranded at MMIA, airline staff vanish
Barely 24 hours after the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) slammed Arik Air N6m and US$150 fine over passengers’ baggage, the airline is still to get its acts together as it stranded passengers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) on Wednesday without staff of the airline addressing the situation.
It was learnt that there were some cancelled international flights of the airline on Monday with the passengers being on ground.However, the airline has also sold tickets to add more passengers going to London on W3 101, with an Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) 12.45 and Johannesburg with ETD 13.30.
At about noon yesterday, no Arik staff was on ground to address the situation as the airline’s counters were empty with officers of the NCAA Consumer Protection Department (CPD) facing the heat as passengers threatened fire and brimstone and almost attacked staff of the CAA.
By 12.45, it was discovered that the airline had not airlifted its London bound passengers and still at 1.30 pm the situation remained the same for the Johannesburg bound passengers who were seen lying down around the airport like refugees.
As at the time of filing this report, Daily Times could not receive any official word from the airline and efforts to reach them to ascertain why the airline has not airlifted its backlog of passengers proved abortive.
A source at the NCAA confirmed to our reporter that they were watching the situation and would act accordingly.
Just two days ago, NCAA fined the airline N6 million and also directed the airline to pay each affected passenger, within 30 days of the date of this letter, the sum $150 as compensation for inconveniences suffered as a result of delayed arrival of their luggage on their service.
