Monday, August 21, 2006

Airport Drama

The Airport in Lagos is in Chaos. Yesterday we went with the family to say goodbye to those who came for the wedding. BA is totally crazy right now. They are overbooked for dayssss and the queue is outrageously long. My aunts were supposed to leave with Air France to Philadelphia but we got there and realised the queue was a bit on the long side. This was at 4pm for a 10pm flight. We proceeded to join the queue at which point we were told that there were two..one for people from Port Harcourt and one for people from Lagos. Apparently PH airport has been closed for refurbishment...just like that.

We were further informed that no Lagos passengers would be leaving on that day and needed to put their names down. They would be given $500 and would be booked to stay at a hotel. Not just any hotel, noooo, not Sheraton or Protea or Eko Hotel...they would be booked into the Airport Hotel (horrors upon horrors). Those working obviously were not impressed by the $500, a guy on the queue was quick to protest that it was no where near half his daily earnings. If you decided not to stay in the hotel there would be no further remunerations. Stay or don't stay.

One guy came up to the manager on duty.
'Sir my wife is sick and has an appointment at the hospital in London'.
Manager not looking sympathetic 'There is nothing we can do'.
'I have the appointment letter here. It’s quite urgent that she sees a doctor, is there really nothing you can do'?
'I'm sorry sir, there’s nothing we can do. Write your name down and we will see that you leave tomorrow'
'We are quite desperate....
'Sir MEDICALLY, there is nothing we can do for you. I am sorry'

Naijas like to blow OP (out of point) grammar oh.

12 comments:

Aramide said...

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL I love my country! My, my, my I hope the guy got the earliest available flight as well as your relatives xx

Don Chi as Blog Marley a.k.a. El Senor Supremo said...

Port Harcourt airport didn't close JUST LIKE THAT! There was a fire there hon. They better sort themselves out before the next time I travel oh and that's September... 2010!!! Can I have that dudes $500 please?

Mari said...

CRAZY! Hope ur relatives were able to leave.

Dimples said...

Oh shame one can only but continue to pray for our beloved country.

NaijaBloke said...

Na wah for our country o.

Bella Naija said...

I think airlines like to see how far they can push our buttons in nigeria...they cant try these things in other places..
did u end up going for the event at the palms? my lil sisters went and said it was loads of fun...tho it started very late...another nigerian phenom....

LondonBuki said...

What happened TMinx? This post disappeared for a couple of days!

It's back now so no worries.

Update please: You said Mon, Wed and Fri!!!

LOL!

Biodun said...

Naija sha, God will help us, yeah n hope ur family made it out ok?

NaijaBloke said...

Yes o Tminx what happened to the disappearing act on this post o?

Icy PR said...

Yikes that sucks... What da heck makes it that bad everytime.. I mean jeeezz.. this stuff has been happening for too long

DiAmOnD hawk said...

AIRPORT HOTEL...that is toooooo funny! I remember back in the day was going on a trip to england w/my aunt...that's how we were waiting for fuel for the plane...it never arrived...ppl had to SLEEP in the airport cuz they wouldnt let anyone leave...me and my aunt found our way back to the house...those are the times you thank God for connections and all that

Unknown said...

LOL!! Hope ur aunties didnt spend too many extra days in lagos. As for the $500, I would happily collect it!! The same thing happened here in Uk last summer. Lagos bound passengers with confirmed tickets were offered £250 to come back the next day as the flight was terribly overbooked.
Talk about organised chaos!!