My ordeal in the hands of Kenyan Airways

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My ordeal in the hands of Kenyan Airways
• How Nigerians fought back
By NETA NWOSU

I didn’t travel to Kenya. I was only on transit through her Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Johannesburg. This became inevitable because the Johannesburg – bound Arik flight was fully booked. I was now left with the only option of traveling with Kenyan Airways via Nairobi to Johannesburg.

I didn’t like this. I prefer direct flights as it is usually stressful connecting flights to one’s final destination. But I had no choice as I must attend the World Economic Forum for Africa holding in Cape Town, South Africa which Coca-cola Nigeria, my sponsors, had already made all necessary arrangement for me to be there. So I had to make do with Kenyan Airways; after all there is nothing wrong with a brief stop-over in the fabled land of safari and its exotic wild animals.

At about 7p.m on June 9, 2009, I arrived Muritala Mohammed International Airport. Behold Emeka Mba of Coca-Cola Nigeria Public Affairs Unit who coordinated my trip had mercifully stationed his protocol staff at the departure lounge to assist me check in my luggage. As if this guy had a foreboding of what would befall me in that journey, he kept urging the Airline’s luggage Personnel to properly tag my luggage and weigh it in. Even when I assured him that the man will do his job he insisted that he would stay with him until he is sure that my luggage has been properly checked in.

Shortly after, we boarded the Kenyan Airways flight 542 to Nairobi at 9.10p.m. But there was something about the aircraft that I didn’t quite like. The interior looked rather scruffy for a long distant international flight. Well, I shrugged that off. The important thing was that I was on board a flight that will take me to my destination even though the journey would be broken.

At take off the speakers crackled to life with the usually announcements and safety warnings; surprisingly we were told that the plane would be making a brief stop in Cotonou to drop some passengers and pick more for Nairobi. What? Did I just hear Cotonou? But nobody told us this. Is this how we are going to be stopping and picking passengers like a Lagos molue? Well, within 40 minutes we were down at Cotonou and off again, and thankfully, straight to Nairobi. We arrived Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi at few minutes to 7a.m on June 10 and I immediately boarded Kenyan Airways flight 760 to Johannesburg. I had barely sat down when the flight took off.

My journey to Johannesburg was particularly smooth and interesting. This particular Kenyan Airways aircraft looked warm and cozy. The Hostesses were a far cry from their colleagues on the previous flight. These ones looked polished, friendly, sophisticated and more professional in their approach than those on the previous flight. I then asked myself: how come this kind of aircraft and crew were not put on the Nigerian route? Even the in-flight meal and drinks were better. What could be the reason for this disparity? I kept asking myself. Or is there a subtle policy to deploy the rickety and the rag-tags to fly the Nigerian route? I couldn’t just understand. Maybe, because we pay less or perhaps our Naira is inferior to other currencies they receive on other routes.

Be that as it may, I had a pleasurable flight.
But the pleasure was cut short as soon as we landed at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg at 10.25a.m. There I received a bombshell. I went to the revolving luggage point assigned to our KQ flight 760 to collect my brown leather suitcase. I stood there expectantly hoping that my luggage would soon emerge like my fellow passengers.

But nothing. I looked on as other passengers, one-by-one, collected their luggage walked off until I was the only one left. I knew something must have gone wrong somewhere, otherwise how come everybody’s luggage is out except mine. I felt bad and downcast.

A sympathetic co-traveler led me to the Kenyan Airways desk to lay my complaint. The gentleman I met acted real strange. I expected him to show some concern and at least sympathize with me but he didn’t. Straight faced, he threw me a form to fill. When I was through with the form, he told me to call the lines on the form and bade me farewell. I was flabbergasted. “Is that all?” I asked. “What else? You will have to go now, we would contact you when we recover the luggage”, he responded obviously amused at my question.

The time was 11.45a.m and my scheduled flight with South African Airways to Cape Town was 12noon. Another confusion. Their domestic airport is quite a distance from the international arrival terminal and would take me another 10 minutes to get there. I was convinced I have missed the flight but all the same I forged on. I was damn right; I missed the flight. The lady on the South African Airways counter was so understanding. She immediately rescheduled me for the next flight which was 1p.m.
I finally arrived Cape Town at 3.30p.m. and checked into Commodore Hotel at 4.30p.m. By this time I was worn out and frustrated. I had a drink, rested for about one hour and went to Waterfront Shopping complex which is a stone throw from the hotel to purchase two sets of new clothes to alternate with the pair of trouser suit I had on. I also bought some cosmetics and toiletries.

The next morning I headed for the Cape Town International Conference Centre for the World Economic Forum for Africa. After the day’s series of sessions I called Kenyan Airways to find out if they’ve seen my suitcase but it was yet to be traced. Day one gone; day two, no trace of my bag. Day three, I had run short of funds to make more telephone calls to the airline to ask after my suitcase. I narrated my story to the Guest Relations Manager of the Hotel and requested she took the responsibility of tracing my luggage. The very pleasant and caring Lady immediately called the Airways. We had a joyous response.

The suitcase has been found and handed over to the courier company who in turn will deliver the suitcase at the hotel. I was later informed that my luggage was delivered on the night of the same day I checked out of the hotel to return to Nigeria. To cut the story short my suitcase was eventually delivered to me.

The contents were intact but the suitcase had been irreparably torn on the side.
I returned to Nigeria through same routes and same airlines. Again the flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg was comfortable; good food, good drink and courteous crew. Same from Johannesburg to Nairobi. We arrived Nairobi at about 6.30a.m. To now travel from Nairobi to Lagos became a different ball game.

The Kenyan Airways Flight was scheduled for 7a.m. We boarded the flight without delay. But as usual, they had a big surprise for us. For over 30 minutes the plane didn’t take off. Without any apology we were told to disembark from the aircraft and no reason was given .The passengers, majority of who were Nigerians, were furious and livid with anger. Through their caustic remarks I was able to gather that it has become the tradition of Kenyan Airways to always reschedule flights to Nigeria. But why? Do they have anything against Nigerians? I pondered in my mind. Could it be out of national envy of sort? Rather than continue to punish Nigerian passengers why don’t they just give up the Nigerian route and fly the countries they respect their nationals. But they won’t. They despise Nigerians yet they love their money. Now I know. This is why they will deploy their worst aircrafts and crews on Nigerian routes.

Amidst cursing and grumbling, my country men and women and other passengers alighted from the craft. It was not until we returned to the departure hall that the airline officials reluctantly told us that our flight has been rescheduled for 10a.m. By this time we noticed that the lounge which was abuzz earlier with travelers had become virtually empty.

All other passengers heading for different destinations other than Nigeria had boarded their Kenyan Airways flights and departed without any hitch. The regular Nigerians passengers in our midst point at the empty lounge and prompt departures of other Kenyan Airways flight as a testimony to their earlier allegations that the delay of the Nigerian bound flight was deliberate. To protest the unfair treatment, Nigeria passengers held the lady Station Manager on duty hostage. This was partly to ensure that she hastened whatever she had to do to make sure that the flight left on time and also to make her equally feel the pain of waiting.

I had my last bathe in the morning of the previous day. I was already feeling sticky and very uncomfortable. I couldn’t bear it anymore. I left for the ladies to brush my teeth and wash my face. But I still didn’t feel better. The mere thought of waiting for another two hours in Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was nauseating. Finally we were invited to board. Too sad and lost in my thoughts, I walked through the security screening point, clutching my handbag instead of dropping it to go through the electronic security scanning panel manned by the airport staff. All of a sudden somebody grabbed my shoulder and pushed me backwards.

The next thing I heard was “would you go back now and drop that handbag for security check”? By the time I snapped out of my thought and looked up, behold my attacker was a lady and she was ready to push me a second time. I was miffed at her rather barbaric approach. Before I could utter a word, my Nigerian brothers and sisters, still hurting from the Kenyan Airways punitive delay, instantly charged towards the lady and the other Civil Aviation Staff querying in cacophonous voices, “Why did you push her?”, “Must you push her?”, “Does she look that irresponsible to evade a check?” “Does she look like a criminal…?”

They were outraged and demanded an instant apology. Immediately, they closed rank and insisted that I should not submit my handbag for any check until the erring lady apologizes. On the other hand the Aviation Officers defended their colleague. They said there was nothing wrong in her pushing me and ordering me back to submit my handbag for a check. This infuriated the Nigerians the more as they insisted that the Officer should have politely talked to me instead of pushing me.

Jomo Kenyatte Aviation Airport Officers said I would not go beyond that point until I submit my handbag for a check but my fellow country men and women insisted there will be no search until the erring Officer apologizes for her unruly behaviour. There was a stalemate. As the shouting match continued my people created a human barricade around me and directed me to move towards the exit point. At this juncture the aviation officers tried to go physical. A scuffle ensued and they discovered that they were no match for the hefty Nigerian young men who were understandably looking for where to vent their anger. The Aviation Authority Officers were bitter and swore that nobody would board the aircraft until I submit myself to a search.

About 30 minutes later, precisely 10.30a.m, came our boarding announcement. As we proceeded to board, two Aviation Officers came and blocked our way. The Nigerians pushed them off and made way for me and other passengers to proceed to the aircraft. There, another round of scuffle ensued. It was at this point that an elderly female airport Officer arrived at the raucous scene and called both parties to order. She demanded for explanation from both parties. When they were through she directed that the rude Officer be brought.

She then requested both of us to state our sides of the story. After listening to us she apologized to me and directed the erring Officer to do same. She too apologized to me. I accepted both apologies and gave them my bag to look through. They did and we boarded our flight for Lagos.
Nigerians are indeed very good people. Thanks for all your love and support.