When Akin Fadeyi Foundation (AFF) booked a Max Air flight for a facilitator ahead of a programme in 2021, little did the organisation know that the airline would disrupt the trip.

FIJ learned that the foundation organised a training programme in Jos in December 2021, and because the facilitator of the training was coming from Lagos State, the AFF had to book a round-trip flight for him.

The foundation told FIJ that the facilitator did not only miss the programme due to Max Air’s negligence but the AFF also incurred some additional expenses, which the airline failed to refund.

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The foundation said it booked the round-trip flight scheduled for December 13 and 15 on December 6, 2021.

As seen in the booking receipt, the December 13 Max Air flight was supposed to start with a departure from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at 9:25 am for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Then the second leg of the flight would depart Abuja on the same day at 1:30 pm and arrive at Yakubu Gowon Airport in Jos at 2:15 pm.

However, the first flight in Lagos was delayed for over four hours.

“When the flight eventually took off and landed in Abuja at 3:05 pm, the flight departing from Abuja to Jos at 1:30 pm had already taken off,” the AFF said.

“The facilitator’s journey to Jos was rudely aborted as the airline failed to make alternative plans to make sure that those connecting from Lagos to Jos did not suffer undue hardship despite being aware of the delay in Lagos.

“Max Air left him stranded in Abuja, and he had to return to Lagos the following day, feeling bad that he was unable to deliver the planned training.”

The AFF also said the facilitator could not personally pursue other options within that short period, hence his return to Lagos.

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“The event was a mess, as it had to hold without our only facilitator who was supposed to be on the ground on December 13, a day before the event,” the foundation said.

“We reached out to the airline for a full refund of the ticket fee, which is N163,100, as well N20,000 refund for the hotel cost incurred because the facilitator had to stay back in Abuja before leaving for Lagos the following day.

“We also asked them to return the N100,000 compensation fee we paid the facilitator. He did not ask for it, but we offered to pay him.”

FIJ understands that the company’s attempts to get a refund have been futile so far.

When FIJ contacted Max Air for comments, the airline neither confirmed nor denied the allegations against them. It only urged the foundation to visit the Abuja airport to fill out a form again.