FG Suspends Turkish Airlines Operations In Nigeria

[Edoman]

Okechukwu Nnodim

The Federal Government has ordered Turkish Airlines to suspend its operations into Nigeria due to repeated cases of poor passenger treatment by the international carrier.

It gave the directive through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority , directing the airline to suspend its operations until it was ready to operate with the right size of aircraft that could transport all passengers with their baggage at the same time .

It was gathered that the government ’s directive came as a result of recent cases in which the airline failed to bring in passengers into Nigeria together with their checked -in baggage .

In a letter to the airline by the acting Director -General, NCAA , Capt . Abdullahi Sidi , which was made available by the Federal Ministry of Aviation in Abuja on Thursday , the authority expressed displeasure at the incidents , which it said had been going on for over two weeks.

Sidi said the incidents had become so bad that most recent Turkish Airlines flights arrived in Nigeria without more than 85 per cent of passengers ’ baggage on board .

He said , “ Our airport authority has been facing a serious crisis controlling the passengers at the airport whenever they arrive without their baggage . This issue has made passengers to carry out several mob actions at our airports and it is a great threat to our airport facilities .

“ In view of all these , and a series of meetings held with the Turkish Airlines personnel , which did not yield any solution to this problem , the NCAA is therefore left with no option than to direct Turkish Airlines to suspend its operations into Nigeria until such a time when the airline is ready to operate with the right size of aircraft that can transport all passengers with their baggage at the same time .

“ If no remedial action is carried out by your airline , this suspension shall be effective from the 16 th of December, 2019 .”

https://punchng.com/fg-suspends-turkish-airlines-operations-into-nigeria/

[Edoman]

Turkish airline to operate right size aircraft – NCAA



Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Saturday said the Turkish airline would operate with the right size of aircraft to ensure passengers were transported with their baggage.

The Acting Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Abdullah Sidi said this after a meeting with the management of Turkish Airline in Abuja.


Sidi said in a statement issued by Mr Sam Adurogboye, NCAA’s General Manager, Public Relations, that the airline would upgrade from Boeing 737-800 to Airbus A 330 and Boeing 737-900.

“Consequent upon the suspension of Turkish airline’s operations into Nigeria and the meeting between its Management and NCAA Acting Director-General, the airline’s executives has agreed to start immediate freight of all left over passengers’ baggage in Turkey.

This will be achieved by instantly upgrading from Boeing 737-800 being used and found inadequate to a larger Airbus A 330 and Boeing 737-900.

”The programme of clearance will be carried out from Dec. 13 to Dec. 17.”NCAA expects strict compliance with the remedial programme,” he said.

Sidi warned all operators to ensure Nigerians were not taken for granted, adding that they should always provide safe, secure and efficient service.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NCAA in a letter dated Dec.11, with reference number, NCAA/DG/12/16/60, had threatened to suspend Turkish Airline’s operations into Nigeria with effect from Dec 16.

It stated that the suspension would come if the airline failed to deploy the right size of aircraft to the service of Nigerians at all airports in the country.

The threat letter was issued by regulatory authority to show displeasure over cases of not bringing passengers into Nigeria along with their checked-in-baggage by Turkish airline.