Four days after the suspension of domestic flights by Arik
Air, passengers have been lamenting the non-availability of  flight tickets, alleging  sharp practices by Aero  contractor, the only domestic carrier that
currently flies the Port  Harcourt route.

Some passengers who spoke with The Tide at the Port Harcourt
International Airport alleged that staff of Aero Contractor for personal gains
had chosen to sell the flight tickets for Lagos
and Abuja destinations through their agenda at the cost of  N60,000 each.

According to them, Aero fares are not usually stable but
they fluctuate between N16,000 and N30,000 depending on passenger traffic on
those routes.

They said that they were told at the counter that the
flights to Lagos and Abuja had been fully booked uptil Monday, and attributed
the situation to the monopoly being enjoyed by the airline as a result of the
suspension of domestic  operations by Arik
Air.

A passenger who preferred anonymity said  that he booked  on line two weeks ago but was told by Aero
staff as he arrived at the airport for check in that the flight had already
departed.

I booked on-line two weeks
ago. When I came here for the morning flight I was told that I
arrived  late, that the flight had
already left. I was here before the check-in time. I  won’t accept this.  I will sue the company”, he said.

A  source on Aero told
The Tide that such practices were  not
unusual given the large number of passengers that besieged their office in the
past four  days for flight tickets.

Reward Akwu