Nigerian airline passengers are under siege — besieged by an oppressive regime of airline operators, emboldened by compromised aviation regulators. What we now have are tales of woe, from one passenger to another.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has become a cesspool of impunity. From overgrown runway surroundings to departure lounges that feel like furnaces, from the absence of night landing facilities at most airports to inadequate fire safety measures — the list is endless. Add to that the overpriced services and goods driven by Shylock shop rates, and Nigerian airports begin to resemble ATM machines for the rich and powerful rather than gateways for the common citizen.
A comparative analysis of local flight prices across countries reveals a disturbing trend: Nigeria has some of the highest domestic airfare rates in the world, yet some of the lowest wages for aviation sector workers.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) operates under grandiose rules — rules which, sadly, are more often observed in the breach. Nigerian airlines appear locked in competition, not for excellence, but for who can flout regulations more egregiously.
I have personally been a victim of these shenanigans. In fact, I once dropped a case against an airline at the request of a friend. That experience still rankles. These airlines epitomize the creed of “Do as I say, not as I do.” A bunch of hypocrites who take Nigerians for granted — until someone like Adams Oshiomhole dares to confront their impunity head-on.
Love him or hate him, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has a unique knack for striking the national chord. He often travels the road less taken. He is, in many respects, a pathfinder — a trailblazer.
In this particular misadventure, Air Peace has clearly emerged as the villain. Nigerians are fed up with constant delays and cancellations without compensation. And yet, when passengers arrive even a minute late, these same airlines suddenly discover the rules — denying boarding, even while the plane doors are still open. Such callousness, often targeted at the weak, has gone on for too long.
There is an Adams Oshiomhole in all of us. We must rise as a collective to challenge these oppressive airlines and their enablers within the system. This is a call for reform. A call for dignity. A call for justice in our air transport sector.
Change is never easy. It is a challenge to the bold — and a threat to the insecure.
• Douglas Ogbankwa Esq douglasogbankwa@gmail.com
