I read the Saharareporters on the Overland flight from Lagos to Asaba last Friday 21st October.
I read the Saharareporters on the Overland flight from Lagos to Asaba last Friday 21st October.
It’s such a shame that reporters embellish stories to score a cheap point at government, institutions, businesses or persons.
I was on the said flight from Lagos to Asaba last Friday. There was heavy rain and wind. The pilot attempted to land at Asaba airport but the turbulence was too great and rocked the aircraft, and of course passengers cried and panic a lot. There was no communication problem at Asaba airport. Neither was the pilot inept.
The pilot was great and heroic as he held the plane in control despite the battering from turbulence and great wind. He climbed to safer heights and circled for a while (not 3 hours) communicating with airports in the region to see if he could head to Enugu, Port Harcourt or Owerri. But the same stormy weather situation was in these areas so he decided to head to Benin, where he landed us pretty smoothly.
As we waited for a few minutes (I was keen on staying on the plane and fly on to Asaba with it instead of driving 2 hours by road). The pilot then explained that the weather at the Asaba airport was now clear but he was short of fuel and could not fuel in Benin or Asaba so he had to return to Lagos. At this, I and some others who wanted to fly with him back to Asaba saw reason and decided against our better wishes to go by road to Asaba from Benin and endure the 2 hours road trip.
I must commend the air hostess on the day. She was calmness personified. She did her best to show distraught passengers that they were ok and in good hands with nothing to worry about.
Flying a plane is not just about taking off, 'gliding' and landing. It’s also about being able to deal with unexpected, perhaps life-threatening, situations mid-air. The captain and his crew last Friday were exemplary. Yes, passengers were 'rocked' and 'rolled', in great fear and found Jesus by force, but the safe hands of the pilots were reassuring, thank God!
I don’t work for Overland nor am I from Delta state, but I'm a huge fan and supporter of the Asaba airport (what a great infrastructure we have there - shame to the unbelievers of progress). There is nothing wrong with the safety of the airport. There was also no communication issues at Asaba airport (after all the 4.30pm Arik air flight took off from the same airport to Lagos when the weather calmed down that same evening). I have faced similar weather situations whilst flying to so many different airports in different parts of the so-called advanced Western world yet there are no vilifying of these airport.
Now, to face Overland airline as a company!!!!
Till today, Monday, I have not heard a word from Overland from a customer service recovery point of view. From Benin to Asaba by road all the passengers paid their own fairs (N12K car hire). Overland should have at least hired a Coaster bus to convey all 30 odd passengers at their cost. I'm still waiting to give someone at Overland my bill for re-imbursement. Overland took my N26K to fly me from Lagos to Asaba, but for whatever reason beyond their control LEFT ME 'stranded' in Benin, and I had to pay another N12K to get to Asaba. At what point is Overland going to take responsibility for that?
Anyway, I just thought to address the wrong reporting of SaharaReporters on this issue.
I thank God we're all safe and well following what was an unpleasant, unfortunate, unexpected experience. God bless you all!
Signed,
Kene Mkparu
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