PH Airport Passengers Lament Flight Delays

Passengers at the Port
Harcourt International Airport have lamented  flight delays by Arik Air and Aero contractors airlines.
The passengers who expressed their displeasure over the cancellation of scheduled flights said air travellers had been taken for granted in this country.
An Aero contractor passenger to Lagos, Mrs Adeh, told The Tide last Monday that her flight delayed for about four hours caused her to miss an engagement that was dear to her.
Another  air traveller, Mr Joseph Nwanne, expected to travel by Arik Air to Abuja suffered similar fate as the flight billed to take off by 9.00am only took off 1.30pm as the announcers kept apologising to passengers.
Efforts by The Tide Aviation correspondent to ascertain the cause of the flight delays was not fruitful as the Port Harcourt management office of the airlines referred other reporters to Lagos head office.
However, an official of Arik Air who pleaded anonymity said the airlines were just trying to be careful with the weather which could cause poor visibility.
Dissatisfied with the poor handling of the flight delays, the chairman of the PHA chapter of the League of Aviation and Airport correspondents (LAAC), Mr Gilbert Amade, blamed the management of the airlines for not taking passengers into consideration.
Mr Amadi, however, said weather condition was enough reason to delay flight or announce outright cancellation of scheduled flights, noting that passengers reserve the right to be told the situation.
He regretted that airline operators have not taken the interest of passengers into consideration and wondered how the aviation authorities are implementing the customer right issue.
Reacting to the delay in his Arik flight to Abuja, Senator Lee Meeba, expressed disappointment on the attitude of airlines that take customers for granted.
According to him, the airlines are treating passengers anyhow they have no regard for the rights of air travellers in this country.
It would be recalled that while passengers on Monday schedule flights on Arik and Aero were delayed for between two to four hours, those for Tuesday had between five to six hours delay without prior notification.

Trapped Nigerians evacuated from the Central African Republic on their arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja last Saturday. Photo: NAN