Kamsiyochukwu Mbamalu
A detoured London-Abuja British Airways flight which spent almost 12 hours in Barcelona, Spain, have had its passengers complaining of abandonment by the airline.
Information reaching our correspondent indicate that accommodation was not provided for the air passengers whose Flight BA 83 was originally scheduled to arrive Abuja at 4.30 am on Monday but had to detour to Spain after a passsenger, Nigeria’s Air Vice Marshal Osita Obierika (rtd), developed medical complications and passed on midflight. “Crew were disopriented and needed help,” hence the detour to El Prat Airport Barcelona, Prime Buainess Africa gathered from a passenger.
Another stranded traveller on the international flight sent distress message to Prime Business Africa informing that hundreds of them had to wait at the open lounge of the airport for several hours before the replacement flight could arrive.
‘Waiting to board the aircraft back to Nigeria at 2:50 pm…close to 12 hours after arriving in Barcelona with no accommodation provided. Only lounge facility,” the message read.
‘Waiting to board the aircraft back to Nigeria at 2:50 pm…close to 12 hours after arriving in Barcelona with no accommodation provided. Only lounge facility,” the message read.
Following the announcement of the detour to Barcelona at 1:30 am on Monday, the passengers were immediately assured by the airline that a replacement aircraft would be provided for them.
Pilot of the BA83 London-Abuja flight had announed a medical crisis involving the death of a passenger, which Prime Business Africa later discovered to be a Nigerian Air Vice Marshal at 1:30am, precipitating in a trauma response from a pregnant woman onboard.
At about 15.00 hours (3pm local time), the passengers boarded the replacement aircraft, a Boeing 777, which one of the passengers described as “better aircraft than the jadded one that took us from Heathrow,” and are set to arrive Abuja at 19.4546 pm local time on Monday.
The replacement flight was scheduled to depart Barcelona at 2:50pm local time.
At the time of filing the report, Prime Business Africa’s inquiry sent to the British Airways’ official email seeking clarifications from the Commercial Manager for Nigeria and Ghana, has not got a response. But at about 4.45 pm on Monday, one of the passengers confirmed they were finally airbone and hoping to arrive Abuja soon: “Yes, we are airborne already; three hours to arrive Abuja.
At the time of filing the report, Prime Business Africa’s inquiry sent to the British Airways’ official email seeking clarifications from the Commercial Manager for Nigeria and Ghana, has not got a response. But at about 4.45 pm on Monday, one of the passengers confirmed they were finally airbone and hoping to arrive Abuja soon: “Yes, we are airborne already; three hours to arrive Abuja.
