By Nnanna Otu
What ordinarily could have passed for the usual anguish, frustration and pains associated with missed or delayed flights by travellers, is assuming a dimension capable of snowballing into some kind of major crisis given the peculiar nature and circumstances of our clime. The row is getting messier by the day. Just yesterday, in reaction to the explanations proffered by the Airline on what happened on that faithful day, the spokesperson to the Kano Emirate Council and uncle to the Emir, Mr. Isa Bayaro stated: “I am giving an ultimatum of 72 hours for Air Peace to tender an apology to the emir, first in a national daily and secondly to come down in person to the emir. We would not hesitate to go extra miles to correct the ‘misnomer’ if he fails.” The tone of his latest reply to the AirLine, directed as it were, to the Chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema is not soothing to the ears as it is garnished with a subtle threat.
A clear understanding of the genesis of this matter and the appropriate industry practice when unforeseen circumstances of that nature occur (and they occur very often) will assist in putting this matter in proper perspective. The Emir of HRH Aminu Ado Bayero and his ten man entourage were on their return journey to Kano from Banjul, Gambia. They had an Air Peace return ticket to Lagos. There was an hour delay in the scheduled take off time at Banjul which by implication means that the plane will arrive Lagos one hour behind schedule. The Emir and his team had intended to proceed to Kano on arrival at Lagos with the 6.15am Lagos – Kano flight. However, it must be stated that the routing of their flight was not the Banju-Lagos-Kano, they were therefore not Booked on the Lagos-Kano 6.15am flight. By the time they got to Lagos, the Lagos-Kano flight had concluded all Boarding procedures and had the clearance to Taxi to the take-off point. It was at this point that the aide to the Emir on board the Banjul- Lagos flight that just arrived put a call through to Mr. Allen Onyema (CEO Air Peace) asking him to direct the Kano bound plane to abort take-off and hold on for some minutes for HRH the Emir of Kano and his 10-man entourage to join the plane to Kano.
The official Air Peace version of the narrative from this point has it that Mr. Allen Onyema politely declined to abort the take-off of the Kano bound plane, since according to him it will be unfair for the passengers, some of whom had early morning appointments to keep in Kano, to be delay for upwards of forty minutes after boarding and the doors shut, just so that the Emir and his entourage will board. According to him, that could even lead to resentment and negative umbrage on the Emir by the waiting passengers. Rather, he offered the Lagos-Abuja and then a connecting flight from Abuja to Kano to the aide of HRH the Emir of Kano. His offer was flatly rejected as Mr. Isa Bayero insisted that the Emir was a Very Important Personality and therefore should be accorded that respect. It is obvious that Mr. Allen Onyema’s considerations that informed his decision on whether to fly or to wait, inclined more on the side of the passengers already boarded for take-off. And the plane flew without His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano on Board!
However, Mr. Isa Bayero has a perspective different from the official position of Air Peace on the phone conversation between him and Mr. Allen Onyema. According to him, when Mr. Onyema refused to delay the take-off of the Kano bound plane, he (Mr. Isa Bayero) suggested the Lagos-Abuja and Abuja-Kano connecting flight, Mr. Onyema equally decline to tie down that arrangement for the Emir and his entourage. It is a little difficult to understand why he declined that alternative arrangement since he or anybody for that matter had anything to loose. Well, it is now a case of his words against those of Mr. Allen Onyema.
It might be necessary at this point to take a long look at the industry best practice in circumstances like this. Industry watchers confirm that airlines delay flights in situations of delays of the connecting flight. It would not have been unusual for Air Peace to have done so for her passengers, regardless of their status. As a matter of fact, it would have been even better if the Airline did just that because of the status of the person who requested it. Also, Mr. Isa Bayero laid claim to a friendship relationship with the Air Peace chairman as a former pilot, that could as well have provided additional “Halo” effect in the decision making process of Mr. Onyema even without his friend Mr. Isa Bayero having to waive the status of the Emir of Kano. Unfortunately however, it turns out that the Emir and his people did not buy tickets for a connecting flight. They booked Banjul-Lagos then to book Lagos-Kano separately. Nevertheless, the request was doable all the same.
Within the industry in Nigeria, it is common knowledge and indeed a major punch-line in jokes that Air Peace Airline has become notorious for flight delays on local and international routes. Therefore, the Airline should not have been grandstanding on this score. Last year, it recorded 55% flight delays. It is not a good record, whatever the reasons may be. Too many of their passengers have harrowing experiences to share.
Again, from a business interest point of view, a very fundamental first rule in marketing and communication states that the customer is always right. Second rule affirms, “When the customer is wrong, refer to Rule 1.” It was poor handling of a bad situation for Air Peace to engage in an exchange of Press releases on the matter with the Kano prince. It is particularly so when Air Peace actually occasioned the delay in the first instance. Air Peace must understand what is presently playing out. Mr. Isa Bayero’s intent is to hurt the Airline or damage the image of Air Peace. He complained to the regulators specifically demanding punishment for Air Peace and then he followed it up with the media campaign. What a friend! Air Peace must not fall to their antics.
The Airline should oil her Intercultural communications processes and procedures. It has become a big issue for businesses and individuals in our increasingly interconnected world. A fairly big organization the size of Air Peace should have acute cultural sensitivity, such that when a Kano prince wants to throw the status of their Emir into the mix of a business wrangle, then reply with some kind of humor. Honour them. Handle them with circumspection.
Finally, I will advise that Air Peace should stoop to conquer. That definitely will not take anything away from the Airline; rather such act will build bridges. To me, I will suggest for free that Air Peace should send a high-powered team to Kano. It may not include Mr Onyema or Mr Onyema may seek the services of First Class chiefs from various parts of Nigeria to go with him, underlining the fact that it is a national Airline. He could even get from Ghana and Sierra Leone, the Gambia as an International airline. Humor and honour the Emirate and people of Kano. Make the Emir of Kano a Special Class passenger. Offer him privileges for the next three months. It is a business promotion.
Business sustainability strategies should be the preoccupation of Air Peace as an organization. The airline should focus on continued growth and not flex egos with any customer. Air Peace should ignore those beating ethnic drums on both sides. The best practice is not to fight your customer and it applies to airlines as well as the corner shops. We are Igbos, we cuddle our customers.
