Air France, one of the international airline operating in Nigeria is renowned to treat the issue of missing and lost baggage of Nigerian travellers with levity.
It has been discovered that Nigerian travellers are made to suffer untold hardship based on their person effect after traveling on the airline.
This was the case of an Ilorin – based traveler (Mrs. Titi Falokun) who went on a procedure in the United States. She paid $200 for extra baggage from the Detroit airport in the United States via New York, Paris and to Lagos in January.
According to her, she had problems communicating with officials of the airline while waiting to board her flight to Nigeria. Her walker which was given to her in the hospital was collected from her at the airport in New York was not given to her despite the promise that it has been shipped to Lagos till date.
The traveler mentioned that all efforts to retrieve her baggage has proven abortive and she would prefer her baggage which contained some every essential medicals and other personal effects.
According to her, “the inability to retrieve my baggage has caused some untold pain and I would prefer to get her baggage intact rather than any monetary compensation. I have been unable to get some of my drugs from Nigerian pharmaceutical stores since I returned in January.”
During the many trips to the airport to retrieve her baggage, Nigerians were always complaining of missing baggage on Air France. However, when such baggage were retrieved, it would have been ransacked and numerous items would have been stolen.
Nigerians believe that they need better service that can guarantee them of their safety and protection of their valuables when they travel on Air France. The aggrieved traveler is appealing to the Nigerian Aviation authority, Consumer Protection Council & other governmental and non-governmental agencies to intervene to ensure that her baggage is retrieved.
