Sade Williams/Business a.m.
Turkish Airlines, the carrier which is often in the bad book of Nigerian travellers for treating them poorly, has been asked by Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s minister of aviation and aerospace development, to continually uphold and respect the dignity of Nigerian passengers.
Keyamo charged a high-level delegation from the airline’s headquarters in Istanbul at a meeting with him in Abuja as he addressed concerns about reported instances of disrespect during flight operations, underscoring the importance of maintaining high standards of customer service and dignity for all passengers.
He spoke on the heels of the impasse between the airline and aviation union, leading to flight disruptions last week.
A statement by Tunde Moshood, special adviser to the minister on media and communications, noted that the Turkish Airlines delegation expressed gratitude for Keyamo’s intervention during the recent union actions that had disrupted their operations.
Vice president Turkseven thanked the minister for his support and reiterated the airline’s commitment to Nigeria, highlighting their 18 years of service since commencing operations in 2006.
He praised Nigerians for their unwavering support and emphasised Turkish Airlines’ dedication to cooperating with the Nigerian government and its agencies to foster further growth in the country.
In his response, Keyamo assured the delegation that there would be no further disruptions to their flight operations, given that the matter is currently before an industrial court.
Keyamo, who critiqued the airline’s communication strategy during the union actions, attributed the issues to the attitude of the country manager.
“I had to advise your authorities to issue a press statement to calm troubled nerves,” he noted.
The minister also put forward three key demands to the Turkish Airlines team, including aircraft upgrades, requesting an upgrade to the aircraft used for flights to Nigeria.
He addressed the problem of transit visas causing Nigerians to be stranded in Istanbul, seeking a resolution.
He advised the airline to support local caterers by serving Nigerian cuisine on return journeys.
Imdat Karakoc, the deputy chief of mission, assured the minister that he would discuss these issues with the Turkish authorities back home and promised necessary adjustments.
He committed to improving the quality of aircrafts used, despite stating that the current aircrafts are not specifically directed against Nigeria.
The delegation, led by Hilemet Mesut Turkseven, the airline’s vice president in charge of Africa, included Lokman Balkan, general manager, Lagos, Akin Carleal, general manager, Abuja, and Imdat Karakoc, the Turkish embassy’s deputy chief of mission.
