Nigeria condemns 'rude' airlines
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Nigeria condemns 'rude' airlines
Just spotted this on the BBC News website. Apologies if it's not "news".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6234675.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6234675.stm
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This absolutely infuriates me..
First of all Mr Fani (nice name by the way), Sort your own country and people out first...your one to talk about respect and dignity when you treat your own people with such contempt and keep them back in the third world when you could easily afford to improve things with all the oil money you have.
Secondly... when your people are threatening to kidnap and kill airline staff and crew members because of some misplaced luggage you really need to ask yourself if you are rationale people with good morale values!!!
Thirdly...dont expect respect and dignity on a plane (or anywhere for that matter) when some of your people are spitting at the crew simply because they are asking politely that you sit down and fasten your seat belt for take off!!! Keeping in mind that most of your people who are on a plane are the lucky ones wealthy enough to afford an air fare and surely should know better.
THERE IV SAID IT!!! Now accuse me of whatever you like!
First of all Mr Fani (nice name by the way), Sort your own country and people out first...your one to talk about respect and dignity when you treat your own people with such contempt and keep them back in the third world when you could easily afford to improve things with all the oil money you have.
Secondly... when your people are threatening to kidnap and kill airline staff and crew members because of some misplaced luggage you really need to ask yourself if you are rationale people with good morale values!!!
Thirdly...dont expect respect and dignity on a plane (or anywhere for that matter) when some of your people are spitting at the crew simply because they are asking politely that you sit down and fasten your seat belt for take off!!! Keeping in mind that most of your people who are on a plane are the lucky ones wealthy enough to afford an air fare and surely should know better.
THERE IV SAID IT!!! Now accuse me of whatever you like!
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There is a Darwinian solution to this: Ask each pax before boarding whether he chooses the section where seat belts are required, or the section where there are no seat belts (and where the pax assumes all liability). A stout bulkhead between the two, and by the way no CA service there either.
Gradually the gene pool of the latter will be wiped out.
Gradually the gene pool of the latter will be wiped out.
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I once had a Nigerian girlfriend and she was the epitome of good manners and sophistication; I still miss her to this day. 
accordingly, please be careful with generalisations.
accordingly, please be careful with generalisations.
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That's why I suggested the Darwinian solution.
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Having flown 4 sectors through LOS over the last week you have hit it spot on paddy. I was spat at in the immigration hall by one Nigerian family and told to get to the back of the queue as this was her country. One passenger told a crew member he wanted to get off during taxi because he had never been treated so rudely after being asked, quite politely (for the third time), to turn his mobile off. A passenger accused a crew member of being racist and wanting to put polonium 210 in his drink after confiscating personal alcohol.
The list goes on. Mr Fani needs to get his own house in order before starting on our crews!
The list goes on. Mr Fani needs to get his own house in order before starting on our crews!
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stot,
I find that difficult to believe. I've been travelling to and from Nigeria for nearly 30 years now and never seen anything like that in DNMM, especially as there are 3 queues in immigration, one for Nigerian nationals, one for ECOWAS states and one for other nationalities - perhaps you joined the wrong queue.
I find that difficult to believe. I've been travelling to and from Nigeria for nearly 30 years now and never seen anything like that in DNMM, especially as there are 3 queues in immigration, one for Nigerian nationals, one for ECOWAS states and one for other nationalities - perhaps you joined the wrong queue.
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Like many of you guys I have experienced most of above, and after many years of flying to Africa have come to the conclusion it is all down to ego. There, it seems to me, that ego and associated arrogance expresses itself in the manner of the above comments, rather than the more self important, as in 'dont you know who I am' attitude in 1st world countries. Hence the average people are much nicer.
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Lost and Found,
Thank you for putting Formally Kknown As to rights. You're correct, in expressing his opinion as he does, he demonstrates only his own boorishness.
Just to try and bring a bit of balance here you have to remember that many countries have totally different cultures from Europe and North America. In Nigeria it's not considered rude to omit please or thank you, just unecessary. Nigerians as a people are noisy, quarrelsome, queue-jumping, impatient, but just as quickly change to laughter if you make a joke of things with them. Their view on these things is just different.
However, even Femi Fani-Kayode is regarded as a boorish lout by many Nigerians. He's known as 'Yab them all' (yab = abuse) and has been highly unpopular in every job he's done since he was appointed by President Obasanjo as his adviser on public affairs. During that time he was famous for heaping abuse on journalists (and phoning them up to threaten them at night if they wrote anything he considered critical of the president). Many consider that he has never really been cured of his mental illness of 15 years ago, despite his public pronouncements to the contrary. He served a brief spell as Minister of Culture and Tourism
and managed to control his mouth for a brief spell, but since being appointed Minister of Aviation his loud-mouthed and boorish vulgarity has re-emerged. This is the man who on several occasions has refused to submit to normal airport security and caused a huge scene about it, but now says that protocol officers must not escort VIP from aircraft in Nigeria and help them avoid normal security and immigration procedures. He's made accusations of tax evasion against Lufhthansa, had a row with the German ambassador, insists that some fireworks sent as airfreight were a dangerous explosive device. He's denigrated such internationally distinguished Nigerians as Professor Wole Soyinka, the Nobel Literature laureate and insulted Professor Chinua Achebe when he declined the award of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2004.
Mr Kayode should practise what he is preaching and just for once engage brain (after all he does have a degree from Cambridge University) before mouth and think.
Thank you for putting Formally Kknown As to rights. You're correct, in expressing his opinion as he does, he demonstrates only his own boorishness.
Just to try and bring a bit of balance here you have to remember that many countries have totally different cultures from Europe and North America. In Nigeria it's not considered rude to omit please or thank you, just unecessary. Nigerians as a people are noisy, quarrelsome, queue-jumping, impatient, but just as quickly change to laughter if you make a joke of things with them. Their view on these things is just different.
However, even Femi Fani-Kayode is regarded as a boorish lout by many Nigerians. He's known as 'Yab them all' (yab = abuse) and has been highly unpopular in every job he's done since he was appointed by President Obasanjo as his adviser on public affairs. During that time he was famous for heaping abuse on journalists (and phoning them up to threaten them at night if they wrote anything he considered critical of the president). Many consider that he has never really been cured of his mental illness of 15 years ago, despite his public pronouncements to the contrary. He served a brief spell as Minister of Culture and Tourism
and managed to control his mouth for a brief spell, but since being appointed Minister of Aviation his loud-mouthed and boorish vulgarity has re-emerged. This is the man who on several occasions has refused to submit to normal airport security and caused a huge scene about it, but now says that protocol officers must not escort VIP from aircraft in Nigeria and help them avoid normal security and immigration procedures. He's made accusations of tax evasion against Lufhthansa, had a row with the German ambassador, insists that some fireworks sent as airfreight were a dangerous explosive device. He's denigrated such internationally distinguished Nigerians as Professor Wole Soyinka, the Nobel Literature laureate and insulted Professor Chinua Achebe when he declined the award of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2004.Mr Kayode should practise what he is preaching and just for once engage brain (after all he does have a degree from Cambridge University) before mouth and think.
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The Goons?
Mr Bernoulli,
How dare you compare Kayode to The Goons
. Whilst he may have had some mental problems just like Spike Milligan, he's not nearly as funny or entertaining as they were, and will probably be forgotten long before they are as he fades into obscurity after the next ministerial reshuffle 
How dare you compare Kayode to The Goons
. Whilst he may have had some mental problems just like Spike Milligan, he's not nearly as funny or entertaining as they were, and will probably be forgotten long before they are as he fades into obscurity after the next ministerial reshuffle
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I appreciate that the LOS route is pretty much a bread and butter route for all the airlines that fly there but to be honest, ALL foreign airlines into LOS have suffered some form of bull from the nigerian government at some time or another. I think all the airlines should put their heads together and threaten the nigerian government with a ban on flights for a short period of time, I can assure you that they would cop on pretty damn quickly when their economy starts to collapse on itself!!! Unrealistic expectation I know but one can dream!
As for some of the comments, I travel all over Africa as a result of the fleet I am on. I regularly go to Nairobi, Accra, Dar, Luanda, Lusaka, Harare, jnb, Cpt, CAI and a few others and I have never experienced the same level of abuse and intimidation that I seem to get on every LOS flight I operate. All the other routes the passengers are lovely and I feel comfortable and welcome in the destinations. How can one country be so different is beyond me.
One thing is for sure, I work for one of those airlines mentioned by Fani-By-Name-Fani-By-Nature and I treat all my customers with respect and recognition, I am NOT going to treat any of my customers any differently on any route and I am certainly not going to make that extra "effort" with the Nigerian customers simply because im not bending over backwards kissing their arses!!!
Now excuse me if I seem to be generalising against all Nigerians. I certainly am not, i take individuals as I get them. I have chatted with many lovely Nigerians on the flights and the majority I would say are more than pleasant but there is still that minority (and its rather large) that do put the fear of god into us when we get rostered one!!!!
As for some of the comments, I travel all over Africa as a result of the fleet I am on. I regularly go to Nairobi, Accra, Dar, Luanda, Lusaka, Harare, jnb, Cpt, CAI and a few others and I have never experienced the same level of abuse and intimidation that I seem to get on every LOS flight I operate. All the other routes the passengers are lovely and I feel comfortable and welcome in the destinations. How can one country be so different is beyond me.
One thing is for sure, I work for one of those airlines mentioned by Fani-By-Name-Fani-By-Nature and I treat all my customers with respect and recognition, I am NOT going to treat any of my customers any differently on any route and I am certainly not going to make that extra "effort" with the Nigerian customers simply because im not bending over backwards kissing their arses!!!
Now excuse me if I seem to be generalising against all Nigerians. I certainly am not, i take individuals as I get them. I have chatted with many lovely Nigerians on the flights and the majority I would say are more than pleasant but there is still that minority (and its rather large) that do put the fear of god into us when we get rostered one!!!!
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I guess we need to understand that being different is not necessarily bad. I have seen some HSBC adverts and i think the airlines should take a que from them by understanding the local culture. Fastrack to this is to employ locals and train them to the standards of the airline.
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I guess we need to understand that being different is not necessarily bad. I have seen some HSBC adverts and i think the airlines should take a que from them by understanding the local culture. Fastrack to this is to employ locals and train them to the standards of the airline.
Dream on, Browright, dream on.
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MostlyModerate, imho Browright has got a point....
I've had occasion to point out to the Cabin Crew were I work that the apparent rudeness exhibited by some of our African passengers, e.g not saying "please" & "thank you" and / or maybe 'hissing' when trying to attract attention rather than saying "excuse me", is simply because in their local culture such behaviour is considered entirely normal.
And there's certainly precedent to employ locals, and it seems to work quite well, e.g. Ghana International Airlines use Ghanaian locals as Cabin Crew, whilst the aircraft & pilots (and some senior CC) are from Ryan International (i.e. American). Similarly, when Astraeus was providing a 'damp lease' to 'Iceland Express' we had Icelandic Cabin Crew and I suspect that Astraeus will likewise employ locals with its forthcoming Nigeria contract.
I've had occasion to point out to the Cabin Crew were I work that the apparent rudeness exhibited by some of our African passengers, e.g not saying "please" & "thank you" and / or maybe 'hissing' when trying to attract attention rather than saying "excuse me", is simply because in their local culture such behaviour is considered entirely normal.
And there's certainly precedent to employ locals, and it seems to work quite well, e.g. Ghana International Airlines use Ghanaian locals as Cabin Crew, whilst the aircraft & pilots (and some senior CC) are from Ryan International (i.e. American). Similarly, when Astraeus was providing a 'damp lease' to 'Iceland Express' we had Icelandic Cabin Crew and I suspect that Astraeus will likewise employ locals with its forthcoming Nigeria contract.
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Not recieving a "please" or a "thankyou" or getting hissed at is not a problem. It may offend some but in this job one becomes very used to it and you get over it.
But actual abuse which crew are increasingly becoming exposed to on certain flights is not something one can just put down to "cultural differences"!!! Its not acceptable and should not be tolerated.
But actual abuse which crew are increasingly becoming exposed to on certain flights is not something one can just put down to "cultural differences"!!! Its not acceptable and should not be tolerated.
Combine Operations
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I've never been to Nigeria. I've heard all the stories, mainly bad but some good, and I believe them all. I've been to one or two other African countries, and the hissing business is used there as well.
It is universally used, including between friends, and is actually a very good way of attracting attention. It is surprising how far a hiss can travel, even with high ambient noise levels, without disturbing others around. Far more civilised than shouting or whistling, or the Sinatra method (throwing an ashtray).
So, please don't take offence, it's a different culture at work.
It is universally used, including between friends, and is actually a very good way of attracting attention. It is surprising how far a hiss can travel, even with high ambient noise levels, without disturbing others around. Far more civilised than shouting or whistling, or the Sinatra method (throwing an ashtray).
So, please don't take offence, it's a different culture at work.
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Nor I, althugh I've been to a couple dozen other countries.
Yes, and my employer always insisted I try to elevate my sensitivity to foreign culture when I'm on his turf.
Is it asking too much for foreign pax on my airline to reciprocate?
...So, please don't take offence, it's a different culture at work.
Is it asking too much for foreign pax on my airline to reciprocate?
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Having read the comments of Mr. Fani-Kayode, you would have to have a heart of stone not to weep with laughter. I grew up in Kano by the way and could speak fluent Hausa by the age of eight before I am lauded as a racist redneck. My father worked in Comms at Kano airport.