By Victor Akaa, Abuja
Following the threat by the nation’s aviation regulators to ban its operations in Nigeria, Turkish Airlines last night flew into Abuja with a bigger aircraft A330 as against the usual smaller B737.
It could be recalled that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had earlier directed Turkish Airlines to suspend it’s operations in Nigeria following its failure to convey the passengers’ luggage which had resulted into series of protests by the passengers in recent times.
The suspension the NCAA said would take effect on December 16 2019.
Officials of the airline, alarmed by the prospect of losing their Nigerian market, had rushed into a meeting with the Nigerian authorities to pledge total commitment and compliance with the conditions given to them in order to continue their operations in the Country.
Turkish airlines has been notorious for their shabby treatment of Nigerian travellers over time, especially when they have to arrive their destinations without their checked-in luggage. This has always given rise to security issues at the airports with protests by affected passengers.
However, the airline has now shown commitment to improve its treatment of Nigerian travellers by operating into the Nation’s capital with a bigger and more comfortable aircraft.
Reacting to the development, Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika described it as commendable, saying that the situation did not need to arise in the first place, with the Airline waiting for the strong-arm handling before doing the right thing.
No foreign airline operator would henceforth be allowed to treat Nigerian travellers with disdain, according to the Minister, warning the others to take a cue from the Turkish airlines experience.
Sirika has also promised Nigerians better flying experiences as the nation’s aviation industry is set to undergo major developments in the coming years, with the implementation of the stakeholder-developed roadmap.
