Monday, 21 May 2012
Re: SR Report Titled, “Plane Crash Averted At Asaba’s Uncompleted “International Airport”
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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Ideal nigerian, its obvious
Submitted by Paul (not verified) on October 28, 2011 - 14:54.
Ideal nigerian, its obvious that you have Never taken an airport taxi before. Let me help your ignorance. Airport taxis charge between 5 to 8 thousand to drop passengers within the city where the airport is. How much do you think they will charge for a two hours journey to asaba? I think the 12 thousand was a favoir shown to them
i know kene and he is not
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on October 25, 2011 - 05:52.
i know kene and he is not faceless.he cannot be a paid spokesman for the gov of delta state.he tells it how he sees it.
the fact is that sahara reporters allows it's website to be used by uneducated people to spread falsehood and confusion.
sahara reporters used to report respectable and sensational stories but they have lost focus.
PLEASE LEAVE MY NNAOCHIE ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHY USE AN UNCOMPLETED AIRPORT?
Submitted by Ideal Nigerian (not verified) on October 24, 2011 - 21:06.
@solomon akanbi & Deri: Once beaten, they said, twice shy! Deltans kept quiet and Ibori and his cohorts (including Uduaghan) ripped the state dry and today we know the history. There is nothing wrong in people shouting from the roof tops about what our unfortunate politicians are doing to us. The truth is, why rushing to commission the airport when all the facilities are not completed? Who approved that planes should start flying there? Let's stop fooling ourselves, these politicians are dealing with us, unless you guys are partatkers of the evil perpetrations. Deltans, 1st fool no be fool, 2nd fool na him be proper foolish so said late Dr Okpara!
@David Akocha any hope for Anioma state?
Submitted by Deri (not verified) on October 24, 2011 - 17:32.
Most of the sponsored articles on Delta state which often appear here, are simply aimed at creating confusion in the zone, with a view to re-colonizing the entire Niger Delta. Having gained some foothold in Bayelsa state and Rivers, the vultures want to turn their attention on what they see as their new (Syria) in the Niger Delta. Special charter cost 12k-what is wrong with that? The story was full of holes. That an aircraft with passengers hovered around the airport, for 3hrs hrs? The pilot must have been in a coma during that period! Or at best the guy who wrote that article has never flown by air in his entire life to any airport in Nigeria! May be out to play the song of the invaders for us. We have 2 articles on ND in less than 24hrs-haba malam! Why cant u guys leave Delta alone!
@ David Okocha, it is obvious
Submitted by solomon akanbi (not verified) on October 24, 2011 - 17:02.
@ David Okocha, it is obvious you have something against the Delta state Govt or Uduaghan, for God sake what is wrong in somebody write to put record straight, i will advice you to go and read how the story was reported by SR, the story is targeted at the person of Uduaghan, you guys should stop the idea of always wanting to pull someone down, stop thinking evil about your fellow human being.
HABA BROS KENE! 12K FROM BENIN TO ASABA BY ROAD?
Submitted by Ideal Nigerian (not verified) on October 24, 2011 - 16:39.
Bros Kene, You mean you paid N12k from Benin to Asaba by road? Hmmmmmmmmmm....What kind of taxi/bus is that? Or was an "aeroplane" that runs on the road that you used? Abeg make we say the truth ooo! I thank God for your safe arrival to your destination anyway. However, my grouse with our politicians and projects like the Asaba airport is, why can't they wait until projects are completed before they commission them? I saw pictures of the airport during its commissioning and after, and from all indications a lot is still going on at that airport.
Who is this paid Uduaghan spokesman? Just Listen to Urself Oga.
Submitted by David Okocha (not verified) on October 24, 2011 - 16:02.
The bottom line here is that, air crash was averted with the way and manner this paid writer described how it all happened.Going by the story as told by this Uduaghan's paid spokesman, air crash was averted.Better still, let him tell us what that incident should have been called or what the SR should have written? BUNCH OF FOOLS DECEIVING YOURSELVES.YOUR CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN'S CHILDREN NO DOUBT WILL SUFFER WHAT YOU PEOPLE ARE DOING TO THE STATE.I EVEN WONDER WHY SHOULD SR GO AHEAD PUBLISHING THIS REFUTAL AT ALL.
