Published 9th May, 2023

Festus Gada (not real name), a Yola-based cleric, has accused Arik Air, a Nigerian airline, of withholding his N70,000.

Gada told FIJ he booked an Arik Air flight for his son, whose trip was scheduled for February 23, but the airline delayed the passengers and later cancelled the flight without an explanation.

To worsen the situation, Arik Air told passengers to make alternative arrangements as the airline could not guarantee seats for them on the following day’s flight, FIJ learnt.

The cleric said his effort to get a refund from Arik Air seemed like he was fighting a lost battle.

The boarding ticket from Arik Air — The boarding ticket

“The flight was supposed to take off in Abuja at 3.25 pm and arrive Yola at 5.05 pm, but it was delayed for hours. It wasn’t until about 7.00 pm that they announced that the flight had been cancelled,” said Gada.

“My son was stranded after the announcement was made. I had to start calling people who knew people he could stay with in Abuja that night. He had to travel to Yola by road the following day.”

The cleric said when he visited the Yola office of Arik Air on February 28 to demand a refund, he was asked to fill a refund form but nothing came out of it.

“It has been a war to get a refund since then, despite filling all the necessary forms. Someone even told me that Arik Air doesn’t refund passengers for cancelled flights, and that’s my fear,” he said.

The refund form from Arik Air — The refund form

Last Friday, Adebanji Ola, the airline’s public relations and communications manager, told FIJ that he would investigate the claim and revert as soon as possible.

FIJ has, however, not heard from the PRO since Friday.

Meanwhile, the cleric told FIJ on Wednesday that the airline had not returned his N70,000.

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