We will no longer tolerate violent attacks on our workers — Airline operators

THE Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has raised concerns over what it called the trend of violent attacks on airline staff and facilities at the various airports by passengers over flight delays or cancellation.

The airline operators lamented how the violent attacks had gone on unrestrained across major airports in the country.

According to the operators; “AON therefore, strongly, and without equivocation, condemns them and call for immediate cessation. We feel the pain and frustration of travelers over delayed or cancelled flights due to the disruptions such bring to their plans, and make good to remind the traveling public that no airline operator deliberately delays or cancels flights because the aircraft is meant to be in the air and not on ground.

“Aircraft on ground, which is a huge loss to operators and impacts negatively on the economy of our dear country, is, however, mostly, for safety and so many reasons outside the control of operators. For this reason, AON has been at the front of seeking more effective ways to mitigate factors that cause flight delays and huge economic losses to the country.

“However, we believe that the trend of violent attacks on airline staff and facilities have to stop. There have been instances where airline staffs have been physically injured by passengers. Airline properties running into millions of naira have also been destroyed by passengers.

In its defense, AON said those airline staff and facilities that were usually subject of attacks were not cause of flight delays, hence; “they are also human beings, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters etc., working to earn a living and put food on the table for their families.

“Violent attacks on airline staff, occasioning physical harm, are not a civilised and matured way for passengers to register their disappointments over flight delays or cancellations. There are better ways to do this which are also spelt out by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in its manuals. Passengers can also pursue their rights through the Consumer Protection Council.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

• ‘Officials initially offered to help but when the number of able-bodied citizens at the centre increased, they left us unattended to’
• Why Ogun Tops List Of ‘Yahoo Boys’ In Nigeria ― Governor Abiodun
• Police, Amotekun after criminals on Lagos-Ibadan expressway
• Suspected cannibal pays N500,000 for boy’s human organs, says ‘that’s my favourite meal, especially the throat’
• Court awards Nnamdi Kanu N1 billion over invasion of his home by military, asks FG to apologise

AON also expressed worried that these violent attacks and destruction of property across the country’s airports go a long way to cause disruption of operations, insinuate lack of adequate security at the airports and further impugn the image of our dear country.

“We therefore, use this medium to call on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), to improve security across the airports especially, as it relates to security of airline staff and property.

“AON will no longer sit back and watch these violent attacks go on unrestrained. Passengers ought also to be informed that airline staff have rights and can use available legal means to enforce those rights and seek redress. Going forward, our members may have to explore this option as no one is permitted, by law, to take laws into their hands. We therefore call for immediate end this trend.

“We restate the commitment of our members to do all that is humanly possible to minimise incidences of flight delays and cancellations and remain focused on on-time flight operations and strongly condemn further violent attacks on airline staff and facilities.”