Gubernatorial candidate of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Ogun State, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi has demanded the sum of N50m from Dana Air over what he described as breach of contract.
Ajadi claimed that he secured the ticket of the airline to board a flight from Abuja to Lagos Friday night, but the airline failed to fly him as scheduled.
He added that he was one of the stranded passengers on Friday in Abuja.
Ajadi alleged that he, alongside other passengers, expected to be airlifted by Dana flight 356 but the aircraft failed to arrive.
He further alleged that there was neither a genuine concern nor explanation by the airline management.
He alleged that he missed an important business meeting in Abeokuta as a result of the development.
He said, “This act of negligence and breach of contract has made me unable to meet an important business meeting scheduled for Abeokuta.
“The Dana Air management not only failed to board us, making us lose valuable meetings and keeping us out in the dark, stranded, no food, causing someone to lose millions in contract. This is not acceptable.
“With this, it has breached its duties under the civil aviation Act of 2006, Warsaw convention of 1929 and Montreal convention of 1999 which are all domesticated and applicable in Nigeria,
“I am demanding fifty million naira (N50,000,000. 00) damages for making me miss the scheduled business meeting in Abeokuta.”
Head of Corporate Communication of the airline, Mr Kinsley Ezenwa when contacted noted that what happened was caused by bad weather.
Ezenwa told Newsmen on Saturday in a telephone conversation that the aircraft that was supposed to airlift the passengers from Abuja to Lagos on Friday could not land.
He added that the passengers had been airlifted from Abuja to Lagos this morning (Saturday).
Ezenwa said, “We will not cancel the flight deliberately. If you pay for a flight, we have to keep to the agreement, but this one is in the interest of the safety of the passengers. We will not cancel flights deliberately when we know that passengers have appointments and businesses to attend to.
“Dana Air will always ensure the safety of the passengers. What happened yesterday was because the aircraft could not land in Abuja yesterday night. It got to Abuja yesterday and cannot land; it had to turn back. That was the reason we could not carry them to Lagos yesterday.
“We promised them that we will take them to Lagos this morning, we have done that this morning. These are some of the issues we have been experiencing for some days now. This particular incident is in the interest of the passengers of the flight. On behalf of Dana Air, I apologise to him and all other passengers. We will reach out to all of them.”