Victor EzejaLargest Nigerian indigenous airline, Air Peace, has debunked a media report where a passenger claimed that the airline was involved in ticket racketeering and abandoned passengers who had booked light from Owerri airport to Lagos on Sunday.
A report circulated on Sunday, 7 April 2024 quoted a passenger who claimed to have been abandoned alongside others at the Owerri Airport by Air Peace which the person alleged abandoned booked passengers and sold out its seats to stranded passengers of United Nigeria and Dana Airlines. According to the unnamed source in the resort, the two airlines allegedly cancelled their flights on Sunday.
However, reacting to the claim, Air Peace management in a statement released on Monday, 8 April 2024, said the report “is not only false but also an outrageous claim.” “The claim was malicious and deliberate,” it added.
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It said the passenger who made the claim arrived late when check-in for the flight had closed, adding that there was no passenger for the flight left behind as the person claimed.
“The passenger who made this spurious claim came late to the airport after check-in had closed in accordance with the regulations. It was not true that the passenger was there an hour to the departure time.
“It is standard regulatory practice that check-in for domestic flights closes 45 minutes before departure. The said flight was our 12:20 pm Owerri – Lagos Flight of yesterday, Sunday, April 7, 2024. Check-in for that flight closed at exactly 11:35am and boarding protocols started almost immediately, and the flight was airborne at exactly the departure time of 12:20pm.
“It is absolute malicious falsehood for this passenger to claim that we overlooked our bonafide Air Peace passengers while selling tickets to Dana Airlines and United Nigeria Airlines stranded passengers while the said Air Peace bonafide passengers looked on.”
The airline expressed appreciation to members of the public for the patronage and urged all intending passengers to be time-conscious, adding that “Air Peace takes on-time departure of flights quite seriously.”
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“Again, the passenger gave the impression that a whole lot of passengers who came on time were abandoned. This is an untrue statement and can be verified as we never left any passenger who was there before the counter closure behind.
“It has become a pastime for some passengers to whip up unnecessary sentiments and falsehoods each time they come late to the airport.
“While we appreciate the passenger’s patronage and empathize with them for the inconveniences suffered as a result of their late arrival at the airport counter, it must be stressed that Air Peace takes on-time departure of flights quite seriously and we do everything possible to ensure full adherence to regulatory standards. No compromises.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
