The festive period has recorded several frustrating situations for most passengers who fly different aircraft as a results of the inconsistency and unprecedented cancellation of flight schedules in most of the eastern airports like Owerri, Portharcourt and Asaba. But sad situation is the heartless acceptance of passengers booking payment by one of the unpopular flights Overland Airways that openned it’s website www.overland.aero for booking without pre- scheduled flight at the airports.
Overwhelming reference is the case of its passenger ( Name Withheld) who booked online on Wednesday night for a trip to Lagos the following day been 5th of January, 2017 only to get the shock of his life when he got to Asaba airport from Anambra state to be informed by Overland airways front desk attendent that he was not sure there was any flight scheduled to travel that day. One of the disappointed passangers called their booking officers contact by name Bisola Esesele only to be told that they were sorry that the flight was cancelled like one hour to the flight scheduled takeoff by 12noon.
Information gathered suggested that overland airways had not been flying throughout the festive period and has been busy collecting booking money from passengers who paid online for a trip back to their destinations. The alledged cancellations was not communicated to the passengers through text or call rather they were disappointedly allowed to get to the airport with high hopes. Demands for their money or refund was not only a myriad but climbing high mountains as they were instructed to apply for their refund which takes one month to process!
This was not only shocking but heartbreaking for passengers who had no other money to go back. Even the sight of the Asaba airport depict a scenerio of a graveyard as not flight was spotted at the tarmac or the airport environment. The excruciating pains Nigerians are subjected to by these flight companies in this recession causes more untold hardship to Nigerians especially as most people are still trying to recover from the much talked about MMM.
Is this a deliberate act of extortion? Or is this another baptised MMM packaged or has recession subjected Overland airways to open its website deliberately to scam unsuspecting passengers with a bold response to repay in one month? What are the authorities behind checking the excesses of these flight companies? As at writing these reports youths across the country under Alliance For Democratic Freedom are at advanced stage of staging a demostration starting from the Asaba airport with a target to Overland Airways and others who have consistently inflicted pains on Nigerians in this unfriendly economic meltdown. Several Nigerians who booked with their remaining money after the festive celebration are stuck in the villages perhaps waiting for the one month long refund for insensitive and wicked act of these airlines!
