“The computers were disconnected and vandalised, while some of the attendants we.re severely beaten by the passengers,” an attendant at the airport told PREMIUM TIMES
Frustrated passengers of Dana Airline, on Monday, vandalised the check-in counter facility belonging to the airline over repeated flight delays and cancellation.
The passengers disrupted the airline’s operations after long hours of waiting at the Murtala Muhammed Airport wing 2 ( MMA2) in Lagos.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the incident occurred at about 6 p.m. on Monday, shortly after the airline announced the cancellation of two flights scheduled for Port Harcourt and Owerri from Lagos by 12 p.m.
“Some of the passengers have been waiting since yesterday after their flight was cancelled. They were promised that their flight would take off today but after over three hours of delay again, the flight was cancelled,” an official at the airport who sought anonymity since he was not authorised to speak on the issue, said.
Other sources at the airport who spoke with this medium said some passengers had been stranded at the airport for over 24 hours after their flights were delayed and eventually cancelled without prior notice.
This prompted the violent move by the passengers who were seen disconnecting the computers used for flight check-in by the airline.
“The computers were disconnected and vandalised, while some of the attendants were severely beaten by the passengers,” an attendant at the airport told PREMIUM TIMES.
As of Sunday, airport attendants said the passengers were promised by the airline that their flight scheduled for 11 February would now depart on 12 February by 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. due to technical issues from the operating aircraft.
“Unfortunately, as at 1800hrs, Dana airline announced flight cancellation on both routes with no proper address nor option for refund. Angry passengers started their agitations and vandalised the airport properties belonging to Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited,” an airport official said.
Dana airline speaks
Meanwhile, in an earlier statement issued Monday by the airline and posted on its official X page (formally Twitter), the management apologised to passengers for the delay of flight schedules.
“We sincerely wish to apologise for the expected delay on your flight today 12/ 02/ 24 due non-scheduled maintenance,” the airline said.
“We understand the negative impact this disruption might have on your planned activities for the day and we are deeply sorry.”
It added that the safety of its customers and staff will remain a top priority and that it is committed to flying passengers safely and comfortably to their choice destinations.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the aggrieved passengers were eventually called to board at about 9.00 p.m, after the intervention of aviation security agencies at the airport.
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