The management of Air Peace has accused former Governor Adams Oshiomhole of spreading falsehood regarding his encounter with the airline’s staff at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday.
In a statement on Thursday, the airline challeneged Mr Oshiomhole to provide evidence to corrobate his claim that its employees extorted passengers, insisting that no ticket was sold after check-in on Flight P47120 closed.
“Our attention has been drawn to the deliberate falsehood being peddled by Senator Adams Oshiomole against Air Peace. The senator lied blatantly when he accused Air Peace of extorting its passengers. We challenge Senator Oshiomole to bring one evidence of a passenger that was extorted.
“None of our staff ever extorted any passenger. In fact, no ticket was sold after the closure of check-in on that flight. Everyone who flew bought their ticket prior to the flight closure,” Air Peace stated.
Denying that the flight was overbooked and that the politician was offered preferential treatment, the airline alleged Mr Oshiomhole arrived late for boarding.
The airline claimed that although the flight had empty seats, it refused to violate its policy of timeliness which would have been in the company’s interest.
It stated, “Again, our flight was never overbooked as some of his videos alleged. In fact, the aircraft took off with over thirty (30) empty seats. It would have been in our interest to carry Oshiomhole and those others who missed their flights for lateness on this flight, instead of flying many empty seats; but we will never sacrifice our strict on-time performance for monetary gains.
“It’s absolutely false that he was offered preferential treatment and that he was fighting for others. Senator Oshiomhole was not fighting for anyone. He came to the airport late and was told that he was late. He then began to forment trouble. He jumped on the baggage conveyor belt preventing the check-in process of other flights. He also barricaded the entrance gate and prevented access to the terminal. While he was doing all these, he also deliberately instigated other passengers against the Airline,” it further alleged.
Describing the Mr Oshiomhole’s action as “shameful” and “unbecoming”, Air Peace accused the senator of defamation and violence, while urging the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria to make public the CCTV coverage capturing the incident at the Zulu Hall of the airport.
“We call on the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to release the CCTV coverage starting from the time Senator Oshiomole entered the airport, for Nigerians to see. His accusation of extortion is very defamatory. His conduct was very violent, unbecoming, unfortunate and above all, shameful,” the airline stated.
