Maltreatment: FG Warns Virgin Atlantic, British Airways
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Maltreatment: FG Warns Virgin Atlantic, British Airways
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=67288
The Federal Government has warned Virgin Atlantic and British Airways for treating Nigerians on board their flights with contempt.
A statement from the office of the Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, states that the two airlines have been treating Nigerians with the “utmost contempt” when they are checking in and airborne.
It further explained that the minister had formally warned one of the airlines in the past over disgraceful treatment they meted out to some Nigerian passengers when the airlines were petitioned.
Fani-Kayode therefore warned the two airline operators that major sanctions would be meted to them should another complaint of maltreatment is reported to his office.
“Let it be understood clearly by all and sundry that Nigerians are not second class citizens and the Minister would not sit by and allow our people to be treated like animals by anybody or for any reason “.
He also advised that henceforth both carriers should offer better training and far more discipline to both their ground and air staff and encourage them to treat Nigerians with respect and decency just as they do to non-Nigerians.
In another development, Fani-Kayode also Approved, with immediate effect, the appointment of Mr. Akin Olukunle and Mr Supo Atobatole as General Managers (GM) Public Affairs for Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) respectively.
The Federal Government has warned Virgin Atlantic and British Airways for treating Nigerians on board their flights with contempt.
A statement from the office of the Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, states that the two airlines have been treating Nigerians with the “utmost contempt” when they are checking in and airborne.
It further explained that the minister had formally warned one of the airlines in the past over disgraceful treatment they meted out to some Nigerian passengers when the airlines were petitioned.
Fani-Kayode therefore warned the two airline operators that major sanctions would be meted to them should another complaint of maltreatment is reported to his office.
“Let it be understood clearly by all and sundry that Nigerians are not second class citizens and the Minister would not sit by and allow our people to be treated like animals by anybody or for any reason “.
He also advised that henceforth both carriers should offer better training and far more discipline to both their ground and air staff and encourage them to treat Nigerians with respect and decency just as they do to non-Nigerians.
In another development, Fani-Kayode also Approved, with immediate effect, the appointment of Mr. Akin Olukunle and Mr Supo Atobatole as General Managers (GM) Public Affairs for Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) respectively.
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The Bozo is doing what he does best: Chest-beating.
You don't like how certain airlines treat Nigerians? Simple: Fly Virgin Nigeria and soon Bellview Airlines!
Will surely help Nigerian enterprise.
You don't like how certain airlines treat Nigerians? Simple: Fly Virgin Nigeria and soon Bellview Airlines!
Will surely help Nigerian enterprise.
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has he tried flying Ryanair 
.........
and we know the colourful langauage Michael O Leary of Ryanair would give in response to such a rant by anybody (minister or no minister)
The best i heard was "Please send me mail with your complaints......... as my son collects stamps" and and there is no space to detail the individuals who have crossed O’Leary: the Irish transport minister who claimed he had bullied her; the airline’s millionth customer, who took him to court when told her lifetime free flights did not cover a bank holiday weekend; the cerebral-palsy sufferer who successfully sued after being charged £18 for a wheelchair (resulting in everyone paying another hidden extra, a 35p “wheelchair levy”). Even the British police have been added to the list, after a terrorism scare diverted a plane to Prestwick, in Scotland. “Your police force were outstanding in their field.” Were they? “Yes, but all they did was stand in their field. They kept passengers on board while they played with a suspect package for 2¾ quarter hours"
......... and we know the colourful langauage Michael O Leary of Ryanair would give in response to such a rant by anybody (minister or no minister)
The best i heard was "Please send me mail with your complaints......... as my son collects stamps" and and there is no space to detail the individuals who have crossed O’Leary: the Irish transport minister who claimed he had bullied her; the airline’s millionth customer, who took him to court when told her lifetime free flights did not cover a bank holiday weekend; the cerebral-palsy sufferer who successfully sued after being charged £18 for a wheelchair (resulting in everyone paying another hidden extra, a 35p “wheelchair levy”). Even the British police have been added to the list, after a terrorism scare diverted a plane to Prestwick, in Scotland. “Your police force were outstanding in their field.” Were they? “Yes, but all they did was stand in their field. They kept passengers on board while they played with a suspect package for 2¾ quarter hours"
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He's already turning out to be just as much of a Richard Cranium as Boris. He's already famous for his rants (like his father before him - http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2006/jan/101.html) when he was the President's special advisor on Public Affairs. He's already insulted such Nigerian luminaries as Soyinka and Achebe and was famous for threatening journalists when he was the Presidential advisor. Many in the Nigerian tourism sector were alarmed when 'Mr Yab them all' was appointed Minister for Tourism. He actually curtailed his normal bullying tactics for a few months after being appointed to that job. However, it was said hat his deployment to the Aviation Ministry was timely, and face-saving for him and the tourist industry as he started showing off his true colours. It hasn't taken him long to revert to his normal form has it 
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Have his advisers not told him of the baggage problem in terminal 4 at LHR so he can understand why there has been an increase of complaints of pax of these airlines?
Has he ever worked operationally within aviation to understand that pax complaints are a normal part of aviation and that most airlines spend millions perfecting customer services complaints handling?The EU rules and guidelines already provide for crippling compensations to be paid to pax for delays,misrouted baggage,damaged baggage or lost baggage?
the screaming about unpaid taxes should be handled carefully and he should get proper financial advise,and advise on aviation operations before making those public statements that force him to back down at a later stage.He should remember that Nigeria has buisness interests outside Nigeria and these sort of actions can hurt Nigerian business men's spheres of influence and receipt of good will when bidding for buisnesses in Europe.
Has he ever worked operationally within aviation to understand that pax complaints are a normal part of aviation and that most airlines spend millions perfecting customer services complaints handling?The EU rules and guidelines already provide for crippling compensations to be paid to pax for delays,misrouted baggage,damaged baggage or lost baggage?
the screaming about unpaid taxes should be handled carefully and he should get proper financial advise,and advise on aviation operations before making those public statements that force him to back down at a later stage.He should remember that Nigeria has buisness interests outside Nigeria and these sort of actions can hurt Nigerian business men's spheres of influence and receipt of good will when bidding for buisnesses in Europe.
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Yab them all take advice!! That would be admitting there's something he doesn't know 
. He probably doesn't even think before speaking, let alone take any advice. He's never worked at anything except being a loud-mouthed bully as far as I can see. The sooner the elections are over and he's replaced, the better for one and all 
. He probably doesn't even think before speaking, let alone take any advice. He's never worked at anything except being a loud-mouthed bully as far as I can see. The sooner the elections are over and he's replaced, the better for one and all
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You can imagine how his recent directives re Lufthansa,Air France and British Airways additional frequencies must be hurting west Africans operating businesses within aviation in France,Germany and the United Kingdom.
I mean walking out on an Ambassador just isnt on,and accusations of financial imopropriety against international airlines operating within Nigeria on the pages of the media,without also exposing the identities and illegal financial transactions of the foreign airlines means he is making a blanket accusation.
This could hurt interests of VK,Bellview,Arik and Aero abroad in the future,and he should consider these scenarios before making these statements.
I hope that someone close to him who visits this forum,would bring his attention to these possibilities.
It could be hurting VK in its application to operate into the USA and in turn hurt Aero,and Bellview,as well as their future negotiations for use of BAA facilities in the UK,as well as facilities in South Africa and else where in the world where these foreign airlines originate from.
I mean walking out on an Ambassador just isnt on,and accusations of financial imopropriety against international airlines operating within Nigeria on the pages of the media,without also exposing the identities and illegal financial transactions of the foreign airlines means he is making a blanket accusation.
This could hurt interests of VK,Bellview,Arik and Aero abroad in the future,and he should consider these scenarios before making these statements.
I hope that someone close to him who visits this forum,would bring his attention to these possibilities.
It could be hurting VK in its application to operate into the USA and in turn hurt Aero,and Bellview,as well as their future negotiations for use of BAA facilities in the UK,as well as facilities in South Africa and else where in the world where these foreign airlines originate from.
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He should explain to us what he has done so far with the 19billion naira released to him when he assumed office.
He should explain to us the circumstances that led to the inflation of the tracon project by 1.6billion naira and why uptill now it is not working.
He should explain to us the efforts he is making to increase the number of screening points and baggage belts at DNMM and ABV.
He should explain to us why .....................
He should explain to us the circumstances that led to the inflation of the tracon project by 1.6billion naira and why uptill now it is not working.
He should explain to us the efforts he is making to increase the number of screening points and baggage belts at DNMM and ABV.
He should explain to us why .....................
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Another One by our friend:
Protocol Officers Not Banned from Airports’By Ndubuisi Francis, 01.06.2007
Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode yesterday denied giving a directive that protocol officers at the nation's airports should no longer be allowed to work there, noting that the circular reportedly crediting him with such a directive was at best a fabrication by an official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Fani-Kayode who stated that he could not have handed down such a directive, which he described as 'ridiculous' , said what he directed was that protocol officers should no longer give foreign diplomats and other prominent personalities coming into Nigeria or going out of the country easy passage to beat Immigration screening and other airport formalities.
According to him, the directive had become imperative because Nigerian diplomats and personalities are also made to undergo such immigration procedures and similar formalities at other airports across the world.
The minister who was fielding questions from newsmen at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters in Lagos yesterday, noted that until now, protocol officers helped diplomats and other very prominent individuals access in and out of the airport without such people undergoing the normal airport formalities, including Immigration checks.
Fani-Kayode added that it was based on this discovery that he directed that protocol officers should no longer provide cover for the category of people in question without allowing them pass through the normal Immigration screening as Nigerians also undergo at foreign airports. "It's unfair to assume that the honourable minister would have given a directive that is ridiculous and that is the case here. I am glad you raised that issue because it has been a sort of concern even for me. What I learnt was that one of my officers, I believe a GM (General Manager) in Abuja, issued a circular which said the honourable minister had said that no protocol officer should work at the airport or be allowed to enter the airport. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The honourable Minister of Aviation has not asked anybody to do that.
"There is no way the Minister of Aviation will give such a ridiculous directive,” Fani-Kayode said.
What I have directed and I stand by this, is that from now on, we will not allow a situation whereby diplomats or anybody else are fetched from the aircraft by protocol officers or anybody else without going through Immigration security point. That's what we're opposed to because when our government officials and diplomats go to foreign countries, they are compelled by law to go through the relevant immigration points as so on and so forth and there is nothing wrong with that.
"We should and have been setting standards...The protocol officers can continue to do their jobs but we will not allow a situation for them or anybody else to begin to receive people or VIPs into our airports without going through immigration and the necessary screening. How does that translate that we should ban protocol officers from entering the airport? I am very disturbed with that and I have to take time to clarify issues", the minister pointed out.
He added that the FAAN official who issued the "fabrication" has been queried and would be sanctioned appropriately.
On the Thursday's warning to foreign airlines which have been indulging in maltreatment and lack of respect for Nigerian passengers, the minister re-affirmed the seriousness with which the Federal Government viewed the issue, adding that no airline worth its name would ignore the warning.
According to him, Nigeria has not degenerated to a banana republic where any airline would choose not to comply with the warning.
|To underscore the point being made on lack of respect for Nigerian passengers, the minister stated that prominent businessman, Olorogun Michael Ibru was treated shabbily by British Airways officials recently, pointing out however that the airline has apologised with a promise not to repeat such an act.
Protocol Officers Not Banned from Airports’By Ndubuisi Francis, 01.06.2007
Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode yesterday denied giving a directive that protocol officers at the nation's airports should no longer be allowed to work there, noting that the circular reportedly crediting him with such a directive was at best a fabrication by an official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Fani-Kayode who stated that he could not have handed down such a directive, which he described as 'ridiculous' , said what he directed was that protocol officers should no longer give foreign diplomats and other prominent personalities coming into Nigeria or going out of the country easy passage to beat Immigration screening and other airport formalities.
According to him, the directive had become imperative because Nigerian diplomats and personalities are also made to undergo such immigration procedures and similar formalities at other airports across the world.
The minister who was fielding questions from newsmen at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters in Lagos yesterday, noted that until now, protocol officers helped diplomats and other very prominent individuals access in and out of the airport without such people undergoing the normal airport formalities, including Immigration checks.
Fani-Kayode added that it was based on this discovery that he directed that protocol officers should no longer provide cover for the category of people in question without allowing them pass through the normal Immigration screening as Nigerians also undergo at foreign airports. "It's unfair to assume that the honourable minister would have given a directive that is ridiculous and that is the case here. I am glad you raised that issue because it has been a sort of concern even for me. What I learnt was that one of my officers, I believe a GM (General Manager) in Abuja, issued a circular which said the honourable minister had said that no protocol officer should work at the airport or be allowed to enter the airport. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The honourable Minister of Aviation has not asked anybody to do that.
"There is no way the Minister of Aviation will give such a ridiculous directive,” Fani-Kayode said.
What I have directed and I stand by this, is that from now on, we will not allow a situation whereby diplomats or anybody else are fetched from the aircraft by protocol officers or anybody else without going through Immigration security point. That's what we're opposed to because when our government officials and diplomats go to foreign countries, they are compelled by law to go through the relevant immigration points as so on and so forth and there is nothing wrong with that.
"We should and have been setting standards...The protocol officers can continue to do their jobs but we will not allow a situation for them or anybody else to begin to receive people or VIPs into our airports without going through immigration and the necessary screening. How does that translate that we should ban protocol officers from entering the airport? I am very disturbed with that and I have to take time to clarify issues", the minister pointed out.
He added that the FAAN official who issued the "fabrication" has been queried and would be sanctioned appropriately.
On the Thursday's warning to foreign airlines which have been indulging in maltreatment and lack of respect for Nigerian passengers, the minister re-affirmed the seriousness with which the Federal Government viewed the issue, adding that no airline worth its name would ignore the warning.
According to him, Nigeria has not degenerated to a banana republic where any airline would choose not to comply with the warning.
|To underscore the point being made on lack of respect for Nigerian passengers, the minister stated that prominent businessman, Olorogun Michael Ibru was treated shabbily by British Airways officials recently, pointing out however that the airline has apologised with a promise not to repeat such an act.
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Amazing.
Will every pax complaint be dealt with by Nigeria's honorable minister for transport/Aviation?
Banana republic?This is a world wide phenomenon.
How is the Nigerian Aviation industry ever going to evolve with this sort of interferrance?
Thank God we do not have interests in that part of West Africa.Totally incomprehensible.
Cant anyone of the captains of industry involved in Nigerian aviation industry who visit this forum, have a quiet word with the Honorable Minister?
Will every pax complaint be dealt with by Nigeria's honorable minister for transport/Aviation?
Banana republic?This is a world wide phenomenon.
How is the Nigerian Aviation industry ever going to evolve with this sort of interferrance?
Thank God we do not have interests in that part of West Africa.Totally incomprehensible.
Cant anyone of the captains of industry involved in Nigerian aviation industry who visit this forum, have a quiet word with the Honorable Minister?
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In attempt to beguile or condemn ours, we seem to forget that as a result we insult our national pride and heritage. Whatever it is, the case is that Mr Fani spoke the truth.Yes it is true BA and Virgin Atlantic treat Nigerians without respect because we allowed it. Fani Kayode did the right thing and i would have done better if in his shoes.These guys,BA et al exploit us and because our Minister came to our defence, we condemn him?
I ask again, is it not true?
On this thread http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...5#post3054285d , someone (formally known as)had the guts to nearly infer that we Nigerians are animals/baboons.These were the kind of things fani kayode stood against.
we should be wary of what we post in the intrest of our national pride no matter what.Naija is still our home.
I ask again, is it not true?
On this thread http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...5#post3054285d , someone (formally known as)had the guts to nearly infer that we Nigerians are animals/baboons.These were the kind of things fani kayode stood against.
we should be wary of what we post in the intrest of our national pride no matter what.Naija is still our home.
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lost and found
quote
On this thread http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...5#post3054285d , someone (formally known as)had the guts to nearly infer that we Nigerians are animals/baboons.These were the kind of things fani kayode stood against.
unquote
Absolute rubbish ! He never said anything of the sort !
This is the sort of rabble-rousing rhetoric which makes any attempt at reasoned discussion a total waste of time.
Incidentally, you said "infer", when the correct word is "imply".
MM
quote
On this thread http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...5#post3054285d , someone (formally known as)had the guts to nearly infer that we Nigerians are animals/baboons.These were the kind of things fani kayode stood against.
unquote
Absolute rubbish ! He never said anything of the sort !
This is the sort of rabble-rousing rhetoric which makes any attempt at reasoned discussion a total waste of time.
Incidentally, you said "infer", when the correct word is "imply".
MM
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lost and found
quote
On this thread http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...5#post3054285d , someone (formally known as)had the guts to nearly infer that we Nigerians are animals/baboons.These were the kind of things fani kayode stood against.
unquote
Absolute rubbish ! He never said anything of the sort !
This is the sort of rabble-rousing rhetoric which makes any attempt at reasoned discussion a total waste of time.
Incidentally, you said "infer", when the correct word is "imply".
MM
quote
On this thread http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...5#post3054285d , someone (formally known as)had the guts to nearly infer that we Nigerians are animals/baboons.These were the kind of things fani kayode stood against.
unquote
Absolute rubbish ! He never said anything of the sort !
This is the sort of rabble-rousing rhetoric which makes any attempt at reasoned discussion a total waste of time.
Incidentally, you said "infer", when the correct word is "imply".
MM
