By our reporter| The cousin of Emir of Kano, Isa Bayero, on Saturday issued a three-day ultimatum to Air Peace to apologise for disrespecting the royal father.
Isa, who gave the ultimatum while addressing journalists in Kano, said Air Peace’s claim that it offered the emir an alternative flight to Abuja for transiting to Kano is pure falsehood.
The relation of the Kano royal father had in a letter of complaint to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), asked the regulatory body to sanction the airline for allegedly disrespecting the emir and the people of Kano.
Air Peace has since denied any wrongdoing.
But at a press conference in Kano on Saturday, Isa 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.
He said, “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.”
“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?”
“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.”
Leave a Reply