Several passengers travelling from Lagos to Kano on United Nigeria Airlines were left stranded at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Monday after their scheduled flight was cancelled following more than six hours of waiting.
SolaceBase reports that the passengers were scheduled to depart Lagos for Kano at about 5:30 p.m. but remained at the airport for several hours without clear information on when the flight would operate.
The prolonged wait reportedly triggered frustration among the affected travellers, who accused the airline of poor communication and inadequate handling of the disruption.
One of the passengers, Alhassan Indabawa, who spoke on behalf of the affected travellers, said the situation was particularly frustrating because many passengers had made time-sensitive plans based on the scheduled flight.
According to Indabawa, the aircraft was initially scheduled to transport passengers from Lagos to Enugu at about 1 p.m., but the flight was reportedly disrupted by issues involving the aircraft.
He said that after the aircraft issue was resolved, Kano-bound passengers expected to board the plane. However, according to him, passengers travelling to Enugu protested and the aircraft was subsequently allocated to them.
Indabawa said the Kano-bound passengers were then asked to wait for the aircraft to return from Enugu, after which they were assured they would be flown to Kano.
“We were told to be patient and that once the aircraft came back, it would take us to Kano. We waited for several hours, only to be told later that the flight had been cancelled,” he said.
He described the development as unacceptable, saying passengers had spent several hours at the airport without receiving timely and adequate information about the status of their flight.
Indabawa also expressed concern over the lack of clarity regarding compensation and alternative travel arrangements for the affected passengers.
The incident has again raised questions about passenger welfare and communication during flight disruptions, particularly when travellers are left waiting for extended periods before being informed that their flights have been cancelled.
Air travel is often relied upon by passengers who need to meet important commitments, including business engagements, conferences, job interviews, medical appointments and other time-sensitive obligations.
Consequently, prolonged delays or cancellations without timely communication and appropriate arrangements can result in additional expenses and significant inconvenience for travellers.
Passenger protection regulations provide for certain remedies and compensation in applicable circumstances involving flight delays and cancellations, although the specific provisions depend on the circumstances and cause of the disruption.
As of 12:45 a.m. on Tuesday, the affected passengers were reportedly still stranded at the airport, with no compensation or clear alternative travel arrangement offered to them.
Efforts by SolaceBase to obtain an official response from United Nigeria Airlines on the cause of the cancellation, the welfare of the stranded passengers and plans to transport them to Kano were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
SOLACEBASE
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