Turkish Airlines' operations suspended in Nigeria

The Federal Government has suspended all operations of Turkish Airlines in Nigeria. The suspension directive was given through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

In a statement signed by the Acting Director-General, NCAA, Abdullahi Sidi, it was disclosed that the airline was suspended due to “repeated cases of poor passenger treatment.”

The Nigerian airport authority ordered that the airline operations be suspended, until it's ready to operate with the right size of aircraft that can transport all passengers with their baggage at the same time.

The acting Director-General, NCAA, Capt. Abdullahi Sidi stated that Turkish Airlines negligence has led to mob actions at Nigerian airports. [NCAA] Pulse Nigeria

Punch reports that the directive emerged following reported cases of the airline's failure to bring passengers into Nigeria with their checked-in baggage.

The letter, which was made available by the Federal Ministry of Aviation in Abuja, has it that the authority expressed serious displeasure over the incidents, which it said had been going on for over two weeks.

According to Sidi, the incidents had become so bad that most recent Turkish Airlines’ flights arrived Nigeria without more than 85 per cent of passengers’ baggage on board.

The statement read, “Our airport authority had been facing serious crises controlling the passengers at the airport whenever they arrived without their baggage.

“This issue had made passengers carry out several mob actions at our airport and it was a great threat to our airport facilities.

“In view of all these, and a series of meetings held with the Turkish Airlines’ personnel, which did not yield any solution to this problem, the NCAA is therefore left with no option than to direct Turkish Airlines to suspend its operations into Nigeria until such a time when the airline is ready to operate with the right size of aircraft that can transport all passengers with their baggage at the same time.

“If no remedial action is carried out by your airline, this suspension shall be effective from the 16th of December, 2019.”

The airline, according to Punch, said it had not been notified of the development by the government.