Alleged Ibom Air Poor Service Delivery: Barrister Frank Tietie Writes Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Demands Apology

A highly aggrieved passenger of Ibom air, Barrister Frank Tietie has further petioned the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to protest the unprofessional conduct of staffs of Ibom air to him at Calabar airport on April 6, 2022. The Nigerian Voice is in possesion of a copy of the letter to the regulatory agency where the distressed passenger narrated the innocuous encounter with staffs of the airline.

He has further requested from the regulatory agency to obtain and preserve the CCTV footage of the exasperating treatment meted out to him by the highly ill-trained staffs of the airline at Calabar airport.

According to him, he has wriiten a complaint letter to the airline but is yet to receive acknowledgement or response to his complaint.

Frank Tietie, Esq (Petitioner)

In his words, "The summary of my complaint is that I was subjected to so much hardship and humiliation when my only luggage bag which I intentionally made small to fit the plane cabin so as to make it carryon luggage was weighed and found to be 11kg, that is 4 kg in excess and above the stated maximum on the airline’s website.

I complied with the demands of the staff to make it check-in luggage and I was also made to remove my 15” HP laptop and an 11” Samsung Tablet which I had to hold in my hands all through the time I waited to board and throughout the flight period".

Below is a copy of his letter to Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority:

The Director-General
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport,
Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
REQUEST TO INVESTIGATE THE POOR PASSENGER TREATMENT METED ON MY PERSON BY STAFF OF IBOM AIR AT THE CALABAR AIRPORT ON THE 6TH OF APRIL 2022, FOLLOWING MY COMPLAINT OF DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES BY THE AIRLINE STAFF, ON THE APPLICATION OF THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT OF CARRY-ON LUGGAGE:

FURTHER REQUEST TO OBTAIN AND PRESERVE THE CCTV FOOTAGE (RECORDINGS) OF THE INCIDENTS IN THE CHECK-IN AREA OF THE CALABAR AIRPORT BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 10:000 HOURS AND 12:00 HOURS (LOCAL NIGERIAN TIME) ON THE 6TH OF APRIL 2022

I write to bring to your attention the poor treatment I received at the hands of Ibom Air staff at the Calabar Airport on the 6th of April 2022. The details are contained in the formal complaint hereto attached, which I have also submitted to the Airline through their contact form on their website: https://www.ibomair.com/feedback/ and by email to: [email protected] . I am yet to receive any reply from the airline at the time of this writing.

The summary of my complaint is that I was subjected to so much hardship and humiliation when my only luggage bag which I intentionally made small to fit the plane cabin so as to make it carryon luggage was weighed and found to be 11kg, that is 4 kg in excess and above the stated maximum on the airline’s website.

I complied with the demands of the staff to make it check-in luggage and I was also made to remove my 15” HP laptop and an 11” Samsung Tablet which I had to hold in my hands all through the time I waited to board and throughout the flight period.

Just after, I complained about the difficulty I was passing through in compliance with the regulations, I saw another passenger with two bags, one of which was obviously bigger than mine, but he did not subject them to be weighed even when the airliner staff had attempted but he merely rebuffed them, and they left him peacefully. He got his boarding pass and headed to the Departure Lounge when I confronted him about why he got such preferential treatment and he referred to my not giving inducement (bribe) as the reason I was denied my bag as a carry-on luggage.

While the said passenger was still there in the hall, I protested to the airline staff because they allowed the man to freely go with two bags that were not even weighed yet they subjected me to the hardship of having to carry two computers in my hands just because I had to comply to the regulations.

The worst part of my experience beyond the discriminatory practice is the way and manner the airline supervisors treated me when the SERVICOM Desk attendants intervened. The details are contained in the attached formal complaint.

Such treatment was so undignifying and unbecoming of any corporate entity not to mention an airline company that should be known for sticking to all standards of practice and procedure in aviation. I am still in a state of shock from the bad treatment of my person and poor service hence, I am calling for an immediate investigation.

Therefore, I am requesting that the CCTV recording of the hours of 10:00 hours and 12:00 hours (Local Nigerian Time) on the 6th of April at the Check-in section of the Calabar Airport be viewed to corroborate my claims and such recording be preserved as evidence in the event of possible litigation in this matter.

Also note that I may exercise my citizen’s rights under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act in due course to make further requests on the standards of service delivery of the airline in addition to its operational standards in general since my experience in Calabar reveals an airline company that is so poorly managed.

Kindly note that all I have requested from the airline is an APOLOGY in whatever form on account of the mistreatment and bad service that I have received from its staff, to prevent a recurrence against any other passenger in the future. I HAVE NOT REQUESTED FOR ANY MONETARY COMPENSATION, at least for now.

I am driven purely by principles of respect and dignity for the human person, especially as a consumer of public and private services.

Thank you.
With utmost regards.
Frank Tietie, Esq.
CC:
1. The Honourable Minister of Aviation
2. The Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria

3. The National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of SERVICOM Office, Presidency