Chinelo Obogo, Lagos
Air Peace has denied allegations that it blocked the Special Adviser on Drainages and Water Resources to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Joe Igbokwe, from boarding its aircraft.
Responding to Igbokwe’s allegation that he was told by a manager of the airline that there were “orders from above” not to allow him board, the airline said the statement is untrue and not an accurate representation of what transpired.
On his Facebook page, Igbokwe alleged that he was prevented from boarding the aircraft because he criticised the airline after the incident that occurred onboard its aircraft on December 14, 2018.
He said: “Last year, December 14, 2018, I travelled with Air Peace airline to Enugu on my way to Makurdi for a meeting of APC publicity secretaries. On our way to Enugu, the aircraft developed a fault that led to loss of pressure and created panic. I returned to Lagos to notice that the incident had become a national issue as passengers who recorded the incident began to talk. I told my own side of the story and how I remained calm. TVC invited me and the late PRO of the airline, Mr Chris Iwara and I gave my account of the experience and moved on.
“This morning, I had a 6:30 am flight with Air Peace to Abuja to attend an event slated for 10 am but missed it. I met Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji at the airport who worked to get me in for 7 am or 8 am. I was shocked when a manager walked to me and said he had an instruction from above that they should not allowed me to travel with Air Peace because of my encounter with them last year. They said I didn’t speak well of Air Peace.
“After our conference in Makurdi, I travelled to Abuja by road and still took Air Peace to Lagos. Last Friday, I took Air Peace to Owerri and flew Air Peace back to Lagos. Now, what is my offence? I am yet to figure out why Air Peace had to do this to me.”
But the airline denied his allegations, saying that Igbokwe was denied entry because of lateness as by the time he arrived by 6:15 am, check-in had already closed by 6 am.
“It is true that Mr Igbokwe was at Air Peace counter to get his boarding pass but he arrived late. For a 6:30 am flight, he got to our counter at 6:15 am, whereas, check-in had closed at 6 am. When we could not check him in, he requested to be on the next flight (8 am) to Abuja but it was already full. This was clearly explained to him and was what played out.
“As a government official, we expected that Mr Igbokwe should have known better than he did by using social media to defame an airline. His post is malicious and unacceptable. The Toyosi Akerele Ogunsiji whom he cited in the post has denied saying or doing what Mr Igbokwe attributed to her. We make bold to say that even the chairman of Air Peace has been missing his flights and never called for procedures to be shortchanged for him even though he owns the airline. Air Peace is strongly committed to giving its passengers an excellent service and will never treat any passenger unfairly. Mr Igbokwe’s perspective is a misrepresentation of the reality and should be disregarded,” the airline said.
