Airline Operators Dismiss Senator Oshiomhole As Unruly

By Adesina Soyooye

The behaviour displayed by Senator Adams Oshiomhole  at the Local Wing of the Lagos Airport has been described as unruly by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).

Recall that the Senator who was, also, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, blocked the gate  because he was told that he had missed his 6.30 am flight from Lagos to Abuja.

He had, according to Air Peace Airline, arrived by 6.10am for his 6.30am flight, and was told that the Counter had closed and check-in completed. It was an information he did not take lightly as he reportedly hit the roof, jumped on the conveyor belt, asked his Security Details to block the gate, and went physical on the Airline’s staff.

Although Oshiomhole told a different story, the video of his behaviour at the airport which went viral tells, for want of a better of putting it, irresponsible on the part of the Senator.

AON expressed disappointment in Oshiomhole’s conduct, especially, given that he is a Lawmaker and said  “his actions are unacceptable and symptomatic of a troubling rise in unruly behavior among air passengers across the country.”

AON spokesperson, Professor Obiora Okonkwo expressed deep concern over the incident and lamented  that  days after the incident, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has not provided an clear account of what transpired, a delay he found disheartening.

Okonkwo agreed that while passengers have rights, the rights “must be exercised within the framework established by international aviation standards. He asserted that no level of dissatisfaction justifies disruptive or aggressive behavior at airports.

“There is no amount of disappointment that gives the right to self-help. We have been talking about unruly behaviour; what you saw was a typical case of unruly behaviour. It is not acceptable.

“The incident involving Senator Oshiomhole exemplifies a growing pattern of unacceptable passenger conduct, which threatens the operational integrity of the aviation sector.”

He, also, dismissed Oshiomhole’s  claims as empty. “No airline would deliberately inconvenience its customers.”, he emphasized.