Gbenga Akintunde, a United Kingdom-based Nigerian student, has accused Qatar Airways of withholding his N1,103,408 after he was forced to cancel a flight he had earlier booked with the airline.

Akintunde told FIJ that he had to cancel the Lagos-to-London flight he booked with Qatar Airways on September 19 upon realising that he had to return to school earlier than the earlier scheduled departure date of October 6.

“I was forced to cancel the flight when I realised that my school was resuming earlier than I had anticipated. After I cancelled the Qatar Airways flight, I travelled with another airline to resume school,” Akintunde told FIJ.

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“When I arrived at my destination, I immediately sent the airline an email requesting for a refund, but they would not treat my request.

“I have also called their main office several times but I still have not received any positive response. At a point, I was told to speak to their officials at the Nigerian office for my refund.”

Akintunde said that the interactions he had with Qatar Airways’ Nigerian office had been of no help.

“At a point, my wife visited their Lagos office and was directed to tell me to write a request letter with a copy of the data page of my passport. I did as they requested, but they still would not give me my refund.

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“The ticket cost N1,103,408. The last time I sent them a mail, they said my request had got to their finance office. Several weeks later however, I have still not received my money. It is unfair that they have continued to hold on to a fund that does not belong to them. Qatar Airways should pay me back my money.”

FIJ sent a mail to Qatar Airways on Thursday for comments on the matter, but no response at press time.