Daily Independent Online.
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Friday, August 13, 2004.
Minister probes plane ‘hijack’ as Lufthansa
hikes fares
By Shola Ogunode
Aviation Reporter, Lagos
The last may not
have been heard on the controversy, surrounding the delay of a London-bound
British Airways aircraft, held for about 30 minutes due to seat mix-up on a
booked ticket of the Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu. The
Minister of Aviation, Mallam Isa Yuguda, announced recently in Abuja that any
aide of the senator found guilty would face the wrath of the law, even as he
has described such act as plane
hijack. The incident, which occurred in June, this year, was reported to have
discredited the aviation industry.
According to
preliminary investigation, it was gathered that Mantu, who had booked for a
seat in the first class section of BA through his aides, was shocked to find
his seat already occupied when he boarded. Although alternative seat at the
business class was offered the senator, the over 300 passengers aboard were
held hostage, as he insisted on reclaiming his first class seat.
However, it was
revealed that the mix-up occurred when an aide to the senator accepted the
waiting list option for Mantu, as the aircraft had earlier been fully booked.
Following the
embarrassment the incident caused the Ministry of Aviation and also going by
the fact that Nigeria just recently renewed its relationship with Britain after
much sanctions during the military era, Yuguda has ordered a full scale
investigation into the matter, promising to bring to book any official
indicted.
Usually, during
travel peak periods in summer, beginning from August through December, airlines
experience a high percentage of patronage especially from holidaymakers,
resulting in overbooking. Because of this problem, which has become a global concern, foreign
airlines, flying within the Nigerian airspace, may have decided to either
subtly introduce fare charges or directly increase their airfares, thereby
creating a situation of the survival of the fittest.
Early this week,
Lufthansa, a German airline, had informed its passengers of a five per cent
increase in airfare, on both its first and business class travellers, while it
has also stopped the reduction offer for children in the premium classes.
According to the
General Manager, Lufthansa, West Africa, Mr. Michael Wurche, between 150 and
200 passengers are placed on the waiting list daily due to the current low
fares of foreign airlines, operating in Nigeria. He cited the disparity between
fares operated in Nigeria and Ghana, where he said that the tariff in Nigeria
is 85 per cent of that of Ghana.
According to
Wurche, the Federal Government has frozen international airfare hike since
1996, which led to the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
de-specification of the country from the global body’s interlining
arrangement.
Interlining means
the mutual arrangement between two or more airlines whereby tickets bought in
Nigeria from an airline would be valid and acceptable by another airline
whenever passengers seek transit connection to their final destinations.
Although the Ministry of Aviation is yet to approve the recent airfare
increase, mixed reactions have already trailed the development. Most passengers
of the airline, who were interviewed at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport during the week disclosed that “it was an utter shock to
us”. Another lamented that “if Nigeria had a national carrier, this
would never have happened.”
Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority (NCAA) Spokesman,
Samuel Adurogboye, described the increase as illegal and contrary to
aviation regulation. He noted that even though, NCAA had earlier received a request for
introduction of some additional charges by foreign operators, the authority is
yet to approve the requests of foreign airlines. According to him, it was expedient
it received the approval from the ministry first before implementing it.
Airlines have, however, blamed travel agents and passengers, who insist that
they be booked on the request or waiting list even when they are aware such
flights are already fully booked.
