Date: 13th of October, 2024.
“๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐”
๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป:๐๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ,
We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing on behalf of the ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง,under the leadership as ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ข ,๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฑ, to bring to your attention the persistent and worsening issues concerning the airlines operating at Asaba International Airport, specifically ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ , ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, and others.
๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ. ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ,๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฎ๐ง๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ.
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐, ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฑ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญย ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก.
Additionally, ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง,๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ light ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐ก๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ. This has left passengers stranded, often without explanation or recourse. It is also concerning that some airlines refuse to accommodate passengers who arrive just a minute late for check-in, despite these delays being caused by the airlines’ own inefficient staff.
We have witnessed instances where airline staff ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค and engage in morning prayer sessions instead of attending to their duties, further delaying the check-in process. This kind of unprofessional behavior is unheard of in global aviation standards.
As the Minister of Aviation, you are entrusted with a duty of care to protect the rights of Nigerian and international users of Asaba International Airport. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (๐ก๐๐๐), which governs the aviation industry, provides clear guidelines under the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) for protecting passengers from poor airline services. Airlines are required to meet minimum standards, and any violationsโincluding flight delays, cancellations without cause, and denial of boardingโcan be punished through sanctions, fines, and other penalties.
In addition to ๐ก๐๐๐ regulations, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (๐๐๐๐ฃ๐) Act empowers passengers to seek redress when airlines fail to meet service expectations, whether through unfair pricing or unsatisfactory service. As a signatory to the Montreal Convention, Nigeria also has international obligations to ensure that passengers’ rights are protected, particularly regarding compensation for flight delays and other disruptions.
๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ. ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ,๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ง๐จ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ซย ๐ ๐จ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐.
๐๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ,๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ.
We call on you, Honorable Minister, to exercise your mandate and hold these airlines accountable for their conduct at Asaba International Airport.
๐๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
It is time that civil suits be considered as a mechanism to ensure that passengers are compensated for their suffering. We will continue to hold all parties with a mandate and duty of care responsible for the well-being of the traveling public.
We sincerely hope that your intervention will bring much-needed reform and that your leadership will lead to improvements in the services provided by airlines at Asaba International Airport.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Yours faithfully,
๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ข๐ท๐ฒ๐ถ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ด ๐ก๐ถ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป.
๐๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฎ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ ๐ผ๐ป: 08038785262