Air Travellers Lament Incessant Flight Delays

Air travellers using the
Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa have lamented what they described as incessant flight delays and inconveniences.
Passengers of Arik Air and Aero Contractor, decried the inconveniences costed them by delayed flight operations by the airlines that have resulted in embarrassing situations to their customers.
A senior Government functionary from Bayelsa State who spoke to The Tide said he was scheduled to board Arik Air flight to Abuja by 3:30pm on Friday could not travel till about 6:00pm, noting that the airlines are taking Nigerians for granted without proper apologies.
The man who pleaded anonymity said he left Yenagoa by 12:20pm and arrived the airport eearly enough for the scheduled flight time of 3:30pm, but regretted that the delay had caused him to miss an appointment.
Another staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who would not want her name in print told The Tide Aviation correspondent that the airlines especially Arik and Aero contractors are causing much inconvenience throughout the month of July as a result of rescheduling of flights.
She described a particular day when a scheduled Arik Air flight for 6:45pm was delayed till 10:35pm, stressing that she got home that day some minutes past 12:00 midnight when she was expected to resume duty early the following morning.
Another Air Port business operator narrated a scenario where a student going to Machonald University Elele, arrived Port Harcourt airport with Arik from Lagos flight was stranded at about 9:50pm when a flight expected to arrive by 4:00pm was delayed unnecessarily.
The female student who cried uncontrollably as a result of the late arrival was however, facified after a female passenger offered to go home with her that night to enable her  continue the journey the next day.
On Thursday July 24, 2014, a business man whose 11:30am Arik flight was delayed for two hours taught he could find succor in Aero contractors, but that was not to be and eventually stayed at the airport until the outcome of the meeting he was billed to attend was disclosed to him and the journey was aborted.
Efforts to get the reaction of management of Arik and Aero did not yield any dividend as The Tide was referred to Lagos for comments on the issue.
It would be recalled that recently the management of the two airlines had postponed flight schedules with the passengers only told to bear with the management.
This brings to the question of whether air travelers are helpless and what are the authorities concerned duties assist passengers.

L-R: Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Tom Amolo, Chief Executive Officer, Kenyan Airways, Dr Titus Naikuni, Minister of Tourism, Chief Edem Duke and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary, Tourism, Mrs Philip Kandie, at the inaugural flight of Kenya Airways in Abuja, recently. Photo: NAN