Air Arik Airlines has been flying to Liberia for sometimes now and I have heard passengers complained of maltreatment.
Sometimes I feel people complain about everything, not until I had my own share of the neglect and ill-treatment on January 29 ‪at Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos.

Now, I believe some claims and complaints are legitimate no matter where or who they come from. I experienced some of the ordeals many Arik Air passengers complained about in the past.

My flight from Monrovia to Dakar was worse than a 100k Marathon; tiring, boring, non-entertaining and above all total disregard for passenger’s rights and feelings by the flight crew and attendants.

We boarded the flight around 11:15 a. m.; not the 10:50 a. m. booking time recorded on my e-ticket for January 29, 2016.

We arrived in Accra 12:45 p. m. (local time). The flight thereafter departed Accra at about 1:50 p. m. (local time) and arrived in Lagos at 3:50 p. m.

We had to transit for at least four (4) hours in Lagos expecting to be airborne at 7:40 p. m. (local time).

Haven’t sat at Murtala Mohammed Airport for nearly eight ( hours without any reasons we are told of the delay, (at least passengers are curious to know something), an Arik Air attendant walked to the already derisive and annoyed passengers and said: “we are just awaiting the flight crew to pick-up, just give us another 30 minutes some of the crew members are still home getting ready to come, once they are here we will leave” he said without any remorse.

A female passenger tried to inquire “so what is the problem? Why have you kept us here nearly nine hours without telling us that the crew members were not ready, neither are they even here at the Airport; even though the flight has been around since 7:20 p. m.”?

Arik Air attendant response: “you don’t know this is Arik Air, you think you have your own way here. I have told you just wait, when we are ready to go, I will communicate that to you, a discourteous Nigerian fellow remarked”.

This is how unprofessional, disrespectful and sickening the attendants were.

We finally departed Lagos at 10:00pm (local time) arriving in Dakar 2:00 a. m., (local time) January 30, 2016.

By virtue of my position, I am a regular traveler and always in Dakar, Senegal to provide technical and strategic support for Plan International West and Central Africa Region (Plan WARO Office). I am currently here for the regional communications managers meeting.

I am not going to explain further the abuses and exchanges passengers had with the Nigerian Arik Air attendants at Murtala Mohammed Airport last night.

However, I feel I need to let travelers worldwide know what happens all the times with Arik Air, and so they could take a decision that may change the unprofessional attitude of this Airline…

http://theliberiandialogue.org/2016/01/30/when-flying-becomes-irritating-my-experience-with-nigerian-arik-air/

Culled through Linkedin.com

See responses and comment from LInkedin

Addo Roosaabsolutely true. even flying from Warri to Lagos (and v.v) is a challenge. cancelled flights, leaving passengers stranded in Lagos. Same story… show more

IBRAHIM MUSA16hIBRAHIM MUSAIf only the Arik Airline Passengers will take time to ask the employees of Arik Air how it's like work in Arik Airline. Salaries are almost nonexistent as employees are compelled to come to work on regular basis for months without being paid their salaries, so just imagine not being paid regular salaries which the Airline agreed to in form of contra signed how then do you expect other benefits such as awards, bonuses and health plans for the employees and their family members to be taken care of ? When you see or come across an Arik Airline employees carting out services for you at various Airport they are like doing a Volunteer jobs and kind of humanitarian services not for the pay or benefits. The owners and operators of the Airlines in Nigeria have taken full advantage of the unemployment situation as well as the non existent of employment by the Government either at the center or state level to enslaves the their employees without remorse. When next you happen to travel by any Nigerian operated Airline show kindness to the employees and reserve your anger and bitterness or rather direct it to the Owners not even the management as the management are equally employees and not stakeholders as most if not all entrepreneurs are family based and not corporations as it looks like on papers and licenses issued by the Government. I know some of you might or will say non payment of employees wages is not an excuse to bad customer service but try put your self in their situation or in their shoes will the customer whom you tend to serve get the best out of you should you working for three months without being payed your wages? Your answer is as good as mine. show less


mark turner11hmark turnerMaybe its time IATA paid attention under IOSA to staff well being and to contractual management obligations. We hear a lot about SMS and IOSA safety audits for airlines to code share. There is no interest by IATA in staff well being and motivation which at the end of the day is a huge risk to safety when staff are disinterested and lack passion and commitment. show less
Seun Methowe4hSeun MethoweTrevor Henry read this and comment, please!

Next time use EDO AIRWAYS

I am putting this here because of how Arik almost killed my career last year September when they cancelled my flight from J'Burg. I only got to know when I got to the airport and it was the last day of my visa. And the SA immigration guys said I must get out of SA or else I will not be allowed to enter SA again. I just got promoted at work which requires frequent travel to SA. I do not have any option than to get another flight ticket. The worst is that none of their staff is even on ground to offer any assistance. I had to buy another ticket through Kenya and the Kenyan airline, even though could not get me a ticket for that day, they got me one for the next day but checked me in immediate so that I could beat immigration. With the efficiency of the Kenyan Airways staffs I was able to beat immigration 12minutes to the expiration of my visa.

Most unfortunate thing here is that this is coming outside Nigeria. The brand is dying daily despite it potentials.

My sincere appreciation and regard for that arik pilot who flew us back from Lagos to Heathrow airport on the 28th of this month.
J.P. JOLLY PAPA. one word the way you handle your job, respect.
bless.

I've had a bitter experience with Arik air too

I can neva fly Arik
Neva

This is unfortunately what happens when the owners of an airline are shrouded in secrecy!!!
No clear direction and management structure.

I've had the worst experience of my life, never gonna use again, they lost my baggage 3 times..

Give me Arik ticket for free i'll say NO, and in turn dash u the value in cash double make u urself go fly

eposho:
My sincere appreciation and regard for that arik pilot who flew us back from Lagos to Heathrow airport on the 28th of this month.
J.P. JOLLY PAPA. one word the way you handle your job, respect.
bless.

Captain Jolly Papa is one lovely fellow.
He's one of Arik 's most loved pilots by passengers.