United Airlines on Sunday de-boarded a Nigerian for complaining about the dysfunctional toilet facilities in its aircraft and the failure of the airline to provide blanket sheets to all the passengers.
Subsequently, the passenger, Taylor Alfred Oladotun was barred from flying with the airline in the future until his case was reviewed by the airline’s Passenger Incident Review Committee (PIRC).
Information gathered by Nairametrics indicates that the passenger had boarded the aircraft with the registration number: G5JWCK from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos to California via Washington, and was allocated seat 48L but was unable to use the toilet, which he complained to one of the crew members about.
According to one of the reports filed by the passenger and obtained by Nairametrics, Oladotun, in his attempt to use the toilet, observed that all the left wing toilets on the aircraft were bad and could not be used by the travelling passengers.
This situation caused a long queue among the boarded passengers who wanted to use the facility.
According to the passenger’s report, he approached one of the cabin crew members, who rather than resolve the issue, replied in an unruly manner.
The passenger also observed that the airline failed to provide the boarded passengers with blanket sheets for the duration of their journey to the United States.
A one-way Lagos-Washington direct flight is about 11 hours.
The passenger who had expected an apology from the airline for its failures expressed surprise that he was ordered to disembark from the aircraft by its crew who described him as an unruly passenger.
Unruly passenger
An unruly passenger is someone with the potential to behave in a disorderly manner and can also be categorised as a passenger who is apparently intoxicated or under the influence of drugs or alcohol to the extent of physical incompetence.
Once onboard the aircraft, the flight attendants monitor the passengers during boarding for any signs of aggression or threatening behavior.
Oladotun said: “The entire left wing toilet on the plane provided was not functional, which created a natural panic as there was a crazy queue around the only functional toilets. There were no blankets, and there was no decent crew member to pass on the message of this gross failure decently.
“I guess throwing (out) passengers that complain about terrible services is the only option available to the crew members. A crew member told me that your ‘fellow passenger’ spoilt the toilet so I should stop complaining. Sorry. I am not a ‘fellow passenger’ to anyone that I have not flown with.
“The choice of word, fellow, is profiling, insulting, and generalising. All I needed was a bathroom. He did not also, need to tell me that my Nigeria does not have engineers that can fix his clogged toilet upon arrival, hence I have no reason to complain.”
In response to the allegations levelled against it, the airline advised the passenger to restrain from booking on any of its flights or regional carrier operating as United Express until a review of the incident by its Passenger Incident Review Committee (PIRC) has occurred.
The airline maintained that its number one priority had always been a commitment to safety, but all its passengers must be in compliance with its policy, while violation of this may lead to disembarkation of such traveller.
The airline said: “As much as we value your business, United’s policy, in compliance with our contract of carriage and our legal obligations as a common carrier, is to delay or refuse to carry any passenger whose conduct or condition threatens the safety of our employees or other passengers.
“Based on the nature of the reported incident that occurred during boarding for flight 613 on October 2, 2022, this shall serve as a notice that you are not permitted to fly on United Airlines or any regional carrier operating as United Express until a review of this incident by United’s Passenger Incident Review Committee (PIRC) has occurred.
“Please be advised that no single United employee can change your status. Only the PIRC has the ability to review the incident and consider reinstatement of your ability to fly on United or United Express in the future.”
The airline’s PIRC also advised the passenger to write his own version of the report to it within the next 96 hours, which must include his name, address, email and phone contacts, flight number, date, and seat assignment of the incident.
It also advised him to include a summary of the incident, and witness names in his report, stressing that this would enable it to investigate the incident, while the committee’s decision would be passed across to him after the committee submits its report to it.
Report to NCAA
However, an aviation analyst who preferred to remain anonymous advised the aggrieved passenger to report the incident to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority through its complaints report.
The source also advised the leadership of the NCAA to take up the matter with the United States Federal Aviation Administration (US FAA), stressing that foreign airlines are obliged to submit copies of their safety and security materials to the regulatory body before the beginning of their operations in the country.
After reading the whole story through, I surmise that the flight attendant’s attitude was disrespectful and condescending. The passenger had the right to complain and therefore deserves an apology. This would not have happened here in the US.
The statement by the airline reeks of arrogance and contempt. Hence, it’s not surprising that a member of the crew would respond to a complaining passenger in such a rude and condescending manner. Perhaps the airline management is surprised at being held accountable by a citizen of a country where people are known to regularly tolerate worse living conditions, occasioned by poor public resources management.