Isa Bayero, cousin of Aminu Ado Bayero, Emir of Kano, has
issued a three-day ultimatum to Air Peace to apologise for “disrespecting” the
monarch.
He said this on Saturday while addressing journalists in
Kano.
On Thursday, Bayero had written a letter of complaint to the
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), asking the regulatory body to take
action against the airline for allegedly disrespecting the emir and the people
of Kano.
He said the airline turned down his request to delay the
Lagos-Kano scheduled flight after they were delayed by the same carrier on a
flight from Banjul, Gambia, to Lagos.
But Air Peace denied the allegation, saying it took the
action to protect the emir’s image.
Reacting to the airline’s statement, Bayero said Air Peace’s
claim that it offered the emir an alternative flight to Abuja for transiting to
Kano is “pure falsehood”.
“Since we left Banjul an hour behind schedule, the airline
should know they have 10 passengers transiting to Kano and should know the
right thing is to reschedule the flight because the delay we had was never our
fault,” Bayero explained.
“I called severally.
They refused to pick, but later picked and told us it was not possible.
“Courtesy demands the management should make necessary
arrangement for the VIP because I had called the airline while in Banjul to
make provision for vehicle that would transit the emir from international wing
to domestic.
“That they disrespected the emir was the reason why they
refused to delay the flight. It is totally wrong and unacceptable because if
they truly respect the emir, they should understand the aircraft was not
complete without 10 passengers, including the VIP.
“For delaying us from Banjul, which caused our arriving late
to Lagos, Air Peace has the moral duty to accommodate or take care of us.
“Unfortunately, there was no option or offer to ease our
situation, only for us to be left stranded.
“It was pure falsehood for Air Peace to make that statement
that they provided an alternative flight to Abuja for the emir. For that claim,
I was the one that asked for Abuja flight and they said it was fully booked.
“The Abuja flight was fully booked and if their aircraft to
Abuja is full already, how do we get to Abuja? Now, let’s assume they had taken
us to Abuja, how are we sure Kano flight was available from Abuja?”
Bayero said he would continue to speak against the alleged
ill-treatment the airline caused to the emir and himself as private customers
until Allen Onyema, chief executive officer of Air Peace, tenders an apology.
“I am giving an
ultimatum of 72 hours for Air Peace to tender an apology to the emir, first in
a national daily, and secondly to come down in person to the emir. We would not
hesitate to go extra miles to correct the misnomer,” he said.
“The action of Air Peace is sentimental and unprofessional
and we can go to any length to defend and protect any act of insensitivity
against our prestigious traditional institution.
“That insult is not heaped on the emir alone, but on the
good people of Kano and folding our hands on this could trigger something worse
and more ridiculous.”
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