buckaneer
26th Feb 2007, 14:21
Lomé, Togo, West Africa 26 February 2006
Stranded passengers were furious last night when only one passenger got a seat from Lomé to Paris Charles de Gaulle, after all the seats except one was "mistakenly" taken up by passengers from Abidjan. According to some reports, this is also not the first time that this happenend. There also seems to be a growing unhappiness amongst regular travellers about the abbrasive and intrusive treatment which they receive from the ground staff, especially the dispaching personnel prior to boarding.
Air France operates a scheduled service Paris - Abidjan - Lomé - Paris CDG (AF700) on Sundays which departs Lomé at 2300 UTC. Seats are normally devided for the return leg to France between the two cities, with others first landing at Lomé, departing Abidjan for Paris.
With passengers coming as far afield as Niamey, Cotonou, Accra and Ougadougou for the connection to Lomé, the Air France local office was unable to provide the assurance to passengers that there will be place for them on the next available Air France flight to the French capital.
Upon further enquiries, the local office was unable to give us the amount of seats available for any of the scheduled Air France flights, even when a local travel agency could provide us with the information.
Several passengers further expressed their severe discontent about the prospect of being searched a third time on the apron just before boarding. This after repacking and rearranging their personal belongings following the second intrusion. Members of the diplomatic community seems to be unable to escape that. Not even the French diplomats are spared this fate, who have expressed their severe displeasure. The only exception being French and local politicians.
Travel agents are still frantically trying to make alternative travel arrangements and finding accomodation for their clients.
Air France que vadis?
Stranded passengers were furious last night when only one passenger got a seat from Lomé to Paris Charles de Gaulle, after all the seats except one was "mistakenly" taken up by passengers from Abidjan. According to some reports, this is also not the first time that this happenend. There also seems to be a growing unhappiness amongst regular travellers about the abbrasive and intrusive treatment which they receive from the ground staff, especially the dispaching personnel prior to boarding.
Air France operates a scheduled service Paris - Abidjan - Lomé - Paris CDG (AF700) on Sundays which departs Lomé at 2300 UTC. Seats are normally devided for the return leg to France between the two cities, with others first landing at Lomé, departing Abidjan for Paris.
With passengers coming as far afield as Niamey, Cotonou, Accra and Ougadougou for the connection to Lomé, the Air France local office was unable to provide the assurance to passengers that there will be place for them on the next available Air France flight to the French capital.
Upon further enquiries, the local office was unable to give us the amount of seats available for any of the scheduled Air France flights, even when a local travel agency could provide us with the information.
Several passengers further expressed their severe discontent about the prospect of being searched a third time on the apron just before boarding. This after repacking and rearranging their personal belongings following the second intrusion. Members of the diplomatic community seems to be unable to escape that. Not even the French diplomats are spared this fate, who have expressed their severe displeasure. The only exception being French and local politicians.
Travel agents are still frantically trying to make alternative travel arrangements and finding accomodation for their clients.
Air France que vadis?