This is the shocking expreience of Joshua Kunle Abdul-Azeez ,a Nigerian Medical Student who was travelling back to school in Ukraine via Egypt Air..
On Friday, August 15, 2014 my mother and I went to Egypt Air head office at 22B Idowu Taylor Street, Victoria Island, Lagos to book a return ticket for me to go back to school to continue my studies at Dnepropetrovsk Medical Academy, Dnepropetrovsk Ukraine. This was about 11:15 am.
On entering the Egypt air office we met Mr. Tony Nzan on counter 1 to attend to us and we asked to book a ticket to Kiev, Ukraine. Mr. Tony Nzan explained to us the itinerary for the flight going to Ukraine after which we went to the bank to withdraw money and returned to pay for the ticket and obtained two printouts, so that my mother could have my return itinerary from Kiev next year.
We reviewed the ticket itinerary before leaving Egypt air’s office and immediately observed that the airport code indicated on it was different from what we were familiar with, having traveled to Kiev before. The ticket indicated an unfamiliar airport code.
We immediately brought this discovery to another ticketing officer’s attention who was seated at Counter 2, as we were informed that his colleague, Mr. Nzan, had stepped out of the office. This ticketing officer restated that the ticket was full economy and for Kiev, Ukraine with all the segments confirmed. However, we remained unconvinced, given that our prior experience indicated that the airport code for Kiev, Ukraine would usually read “KBP”.
On my scheduled date of departure (18th August, 2014) my mother and I arrived for check-in at 10.30am. Given our apprehension, we once again mentioned our concern to the agent at the check-in counter and requested that she reconfirm the final travel destination indicated on my ticket. She confirmed that the ticket indicated “KIV” and was bound for Kiev, Ukraine. My mother then told her it should read Borispol International Airport KBP not KIV or Chisinahu as was indicated on the ticket.
Given our insistence over this and the fact that there was now a queue building up behind us she called her supervisor, one Mr Lucas to check the ticket. He asked us what the matter was and we explained to him that we believed the routing on my ticket was wrong. We also told him we had complained about this, the day the ticket was purchased but that we were repeatedly told that the routing was to Kiev.
We also mentioned to him that we went back to Egypt Air’s Victoria Island office on Saturday morning (16th August ) still very concerned about the ticket. The place was closed for business. My mum then asked that I show Mr. Lucas and his colleague my residence and study permits for Ukraine and reaffirm my intended destination to be Kiev in Ukraine and not the place indicated on the ticket, which appeared to be “Chisinahu.”
Mr. Lucas proceeded to telephone Mr. Tony who issued the ticket to reconfirm routing but Mr. Tony insisted that the code (KIV) was Egypt air’s code for Ukraine.
Mr. Tony also became nonchalant and abusive and said that my mother “was just being troublesome”. My mother then directed that I get the boarding passes which had earlier been printed for me since they were insisting it was Egypt Air’s code for Ukraine and that they were representatives of the airline. She warned Mr. Lucas that for the airline’s sake, she hoped that they were right and we were wrong. I checked in my two suit cases with a total weight of 47.5kg and went to the departure gate and boarded the flight.
I arrived Cairo shortly after 10pm same day and was compelled to remain in the transit area for 14 hours, without feeding. No accommodation was provided by the airline. I presented myself for boarding at the boarding gate at 9am the following morning (August 19th) and was the third passenger on queue for boarding to Istanbul. When it was my turn, the Egypt air boarding staff insisted that I present my Ukrainian visa before processing my boarding pass. She did not ask same of the passengers ahead of me. I explained that I had a permit because I school there and presented the permit stamp on my passport, whilst explaining that the document was in my hand luggage. Still, she insisted that I moved aside and present the original document. I then retrieved it from the luggage.
Having seen my permit, the staff still refused to allow me through and insisted I remain at the corner I was in. I complied and watched closely to see if she would follow the same procedure for all other passengers boarding, but to my surprise, not once did she do so. I remained there until everyone else had boarded before she came round to scrutinise the original permit and eventually allowed me to board the flight. We departed Cairo for Istanbul at 10.50am.
We arrived at Istanbul at 2pm on 19th August and I was again compelled to remain in transit for another 17 hours, without accommodation, food or water. At 7am on 20th August, I boarded the flight in Istanbul, expecting to arrive Ukraine at 6am local time. Once onboard the flight, I slept off due to fatigue and hunger – having been deprived of good sleep and food for 2 days at the time. When I woke up, the flight hostesses had already served refreshment and passed me by. I then requested for my meal but was told it was too late to be served.
Once we landed, believing I was in Ukraine, I proceeded to immigration and presented my travel documents. The immigration officer asked that I wait at his desk, left and then returned with a local police officer. Both officers then explained to me in Russian language that I was not in Ukraine but in Moldova (a distinct country) and that the best they could do was to send me back to Istanbul, where I could then buy a new ticket to Kiev.
My passport was then handed over to the pilot of the next flight to Istanbul and I was given my baggage tags for my two suit cases that had by now been placed in the main cabin of the plane.
When I boarded the plane and sat on seat (23E) assigned to me, a male member of the cabin crew ordered me to stand up, sent me to the back of the plane and told me not to move. Another member of the cabin crew sat with me for the entire duration of the flight. I felt so degraded at being treated like a criminal. I was given neither food nor drink throughout the flight back to Istanbul. This was now my third day without food or water. I had now developed a cough and my gums were all swollen.
We arrived at Istanbul and I was immediately taken to the deportation office, where my passport was handed to the officer on duty. The officer interrogated me on what happened and I explained to him how the airline had ticketed me to a wrong destination. I asked if I could be allowed to buy a ticket to Ukraine from there (with my school fees in my possession), which was my intended destination all along.The ticket was swiftly purchased and I was forwarded the “PNR number” by phone. I then proceeded to Egypt air’s transit desk and explained what had happened. I gave the lady on duty the PNR number for new ticket and requested her to assist me check-in for the flight to Ukraine. She refused to entertain my explanation and told me they would send me back to Nigeria, no matter what I did.
The officer agreed to my purchasing a new ticket to Kiev and I was placed in a room for over four hours. After two hours of not knowing what was going on or what was being done with my documents, I requested to use the toilet, in the hope that I would find a cell phone to borrow and call my family to inform them of what was happening, but the officer posted outside the room refused and ordered me to sit down.
I continued asking to use the toilet for over 10 minutes until she finally allowed me to go and answer the call of nature. I eventually found a telephone and then called my elder sister in Nigeria, explained the situation to her and asked her to inform my mother. Once my mother was informed, she contacted my university and her Ukrainian liaison agent in Kiev and requested that they assist by purchasing a ticket on my behalf for Kiev, which would enable me to leave for Ukraine from Istanbul.
Another Egypt airline official joined us and to my utter shock and dismay, picked up my passport and tore it, saying “these bloody Nigerians”. I looked at the man expecting an apology, but got none. He ordered me to stand up, saying that I was getting on a flight to Cairo.However, I was kept there for over 12 hours, till the following morning (21st August), degraded, dehumanised and with no food or water for three full days. At this point I was very weak physically, developed sores all over my mouth, my gum was painfully swollen all round, and I had begun coughing terribly, with thick yellow discharges.
At about 6pm I was taken to the boarding gate for the flight to Cairo and my documents were handed over to the cabin crew. I was once again treated like a criminal and taken to the back of the plane. A cabin crew member gave me some water and handed me only one baggage tag and informed me that one had gotten missing.
I arrived Cairo at 8pm on 20thAugust 2014. My documents were again passed from the cabin crew of the Egypt Air flight I arrived with to another Egypt air ground official. Yet again, I tried to explain the situation and my grueling ordeal over the past last three days to her.
I went as far as showing her my school papers and residence permit for Ukraine expecting some understanding and empathy, whilst hoping against hope that she may be different from the others and finally listen and hopefully help me get on a flight to school. Instead, she handed me over to Egyptian police officers, who locked me up in a deportation cell without explanation. I waited in there for about one hour and then knocked on the door to inquire why I was locked-up in the cell like a common criminal.
When I felt like using the toilet I knocked on the cell door and an Egyptian policeman came to open the cell from outside. I told the Egyptian policeman that I needed to use the toilet but he declined and forcefully shoved me back into the cell and locked the door again. After few minutes, I, again, repeated the plea to be allowed to use the toilet, and the same officer came to the door. I explained that I was severely pressed and needed to use the toilet. Yet again, he pushed me back into the cell before I could finish pleading and locked the door.
Here I was, 17 years of age, so far away from home with no family communication, hungry, weak, very tired and being treated like a common criminal without any human consideration whatsoever; I became desperately terrified and wondered if I would live through this ordeal or die hopelessly and forgotten in a strange land.On arrival in Lagos, I was straightway rushed off to Rivet Specialist Hospital at Ajao Estate, Lagos, for medical attention as my health had visibly deteriorated substantially and, as the hospital would later confirm my body had become critically emaciated. I was immediately placed on critical watch, administered intravenous fluids, antibiotics and other prescriptive drugs.
I was eventually deported from Cairo and arrived back in Lagos, after four traumatic days, on 21st August 2014. My luggage which contained all my books, newly acquired clothes, birthday gifts (including a brand new PS4 game console), money to last me through the new semester, and other valuables, remains missing till date – with no explanation whatsoever from the airline, regarding its whereabouts. The luggage that did arrive with me was visibly damaged, and I later discovered when I checked through, that it had been vandalized as several items packed into it before I left home were discovered missing.
A man who was later identified as Khaled El Rafie (General Manager Lagos, Egypt Air), came along with my mother to meet me at the airport on arrival. He showed little sympathy for what his staff and organization had put a 17-year old passenger through. He displayed extreme arrogance and perfunctory remorse about my plight and, to my total dismay, added more insult to injury by saying that his own boss in Egypt commented that “I may have been locked up in a cell in Cairo because of Ebola virus”. When my mum got very angry at his general approach and utterances, he told her “why are you shouting…..?” He wasn’t going to assist on the matter anymore, and then he walked away”. This was all before I was taken to the hospital for medical attention.
Joshua has since returned to school in Ukraine. He flew on KLM flight.The immigration helped in procuring him with another passport in one day.
Egypt Air reacts
Vanguard investigations at Egypt Air Head office where Mr Kunle AbdulAzeez purchased his ticket revealed that there has been palpable fear about what Abdulazeez’s guardians would do next after the visit of his uncle, Mr Toju Gbenebichie, to Egypt Air office.One of them who begged Vanguard for anonymity , as they have not been mandated to speak on the issue, said it was actually “a mix up” on the part of Egypt Air ticket officer, Mr Tony Nzan.
Vanguard sought to speak with Mr Khaled El Rafie, General Manager, Lagos, Egypt Air, but was told that he traveled and will be back later in the day. But members of staff of Egypt Air told Vanguard that the entire organization was very remorseful about the incident especially as it involved a 17 year old boy.
The officer also said Mr Nzan has been very sober after the incident and he went the extra mile of trying to arrange an alternative ticket through a friend in Turkish Airline to convey Mr Kunle AbdulAzeez to Ukraine.
The officer added that the arrangement to compensate AbdulAzeez with alternative ticket was put on hold after the visit of his uncle to Egypt Air office and after “ raising hell”, and threatened to take Egypt Air to court. Efforts to speak with Mr Tony Nzan proved abortive as he insisted that he has been made to write a report on what actually happened and this has been submitted to the General Manager who now has the authority to address the issue.NCAA begins investigation
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has begun investigation into the matter. The authority is already in receipt of the official complaint lodged by Toju Gbenebichie, the uncle of Joshua. They have asked for the copies of the ticket, the boarding pass and other relevant documents that could help their case.
A letter signed by Abdulmalik Ifueko for the AGM Flight Operations/Adjudication Unit in the Consumer Protection Directorate yesterday confirmed this.
A source said that among other things “tearing the Nigerian passport is a direct affront on the government and people of Nigeria and will be taken seriously depending on the outcome of the investigations.”
Culled from Vanguard
Sorry boy. They have to pay
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't read past first paragraph, too long!!
ReplyDeleteU are seriously suffering from "MENTAL LAZINESS"nigerian youths are seriously in trouble of being too bored to read but u can watch movie for 3hours straight non-stop!this is so Terrible!Exam special centers and exams runs have really spoilt ur mental alertness,i always see comments here saying"ooh story too long""ooh pls who can summarise for me?!I get so ashamed and annoyed how people like u were able to read their comprehension passages at school!?and some of them lazy student's are planning to come school abroad!u can come to school abroad but try any of those exam cheating u do in 9ija and find urself in jail fast shiikena!
Delete(9ijaborn yankeebased)
Who is this idiot that came to post another long epistle here? Abeg park well for your ajegunle location. Yankee my ass!
Deletehahahaha lol @ajegunle location,u're so funny o!
Delete(9ijaborn yankeebased)
One Yoruba person should read and summarise for me. Will give you 100naira recharge card
ReplyDeleteThe thing too long but the summary is that an airline sseriously fucked him up!
DeleteLool anon 19:24 you really did
DeleteWow is all I can say.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteStory too long abeg
ReplyDeleteThis same thing happened a week ago to a family friend who schools in georgia,he landed in a georgian airport and without reason was deported,before that he was being harrased and threatned with a gun too,he came home and tried another airline using a different route from the last,this time his passport was forcefully taken from him but by the grace of God not torn,since last week he has been @ home his father's a lawyer and trying all his best but to be honest,I doubt if he'll be as lucky as this boy. God help nigerians
ReplyDeleteSo so mad!!! They should better sue this stupid airline! 17yrs old boy. God punish this airline and all the stupid officers he came in contact with!!!!
ReplyDeleteThough the did is done but if I were the boy, I will make sure the airline office especially the stupid Mr. NZAN is beaten to come. Very cruel and heartless set of people
ReplyDeleteThese arabs have no regard for African black skin even in our country because we termed them......oyinbo pepper..... instead of terrorists.
ReplyDeletea.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said...
ReplyDelete.
I really read the whole thing and i feel like crying for the young man..... Nigeria is fucked thats why all this happened at first instance......
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***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
terrorist why boarding terrorist flight Nigerians. Kenya air is there Ethiopia is there why terrorist flight. We know that the so called attendance at the ET are thief's and arrogant in MMA but after there in Ethiopia they are good. Never fly any arabo air plan they will kill u one day i got that experience in Qatar.
ReplyDeletethis poor boy would have died in Egypt y do parents do this shit is it a must that ur kids would school abroad if they must why not America or u.k or a better country like France or Spain where u can get a direct flight which one be Ukraine any how sha we thank God he is ok na so dey for just go kill the poor boy all in d name of him schooling abroad our students way dey study medicine here for niaja are dey not human beings abeg o jare
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is that you are a fool for this statement
Delete@paul, Ukraine has the best medıcal school in the world. They should compensate the poor boı bıko.. IT İŞ WELL
Delete@SVC. And where did you get your info that ukraine has the best medical school in the world? What happened to the likes of Harvard, Hopkins or Oxford? Pls stop peddln rubbish. I wonder why parents would send their kids to a place as dangerous and politically tense as Ukraine at this time. I don't approve of the airline's actions and support that they be sued. However, we have very good medical schools in Nigeria that produce good doctors. I reside in the US where I have my practice and all through medical school and thereafter I have consistently seen Nigerian trained doctors do exceptionally well and ace their board exams. The era of sending wards to rustic places like UKraine for an education should be long done with. Such places should be the reservation of poorer African countries without the medical infrasture within Nigeria.
DeleteWhat are Nigerians lookin 4 in Ukraine dat racist country? See Ukraine, Russia n Germany, even if u dash me a house n money there, I won't go! Those ppl are so hostile to black ppl, once ur near dem, it's like Uv contaminated d area. I'd rather stay in my country n drink garri, den go to anoda man's land n eat shit. If u can't afford a beta country, go to a good private uni here.
ReplyDeleteI just tire oh... Ukraine dat is a developing country!
DeleteInfact i am so very very angry!these stupid Egypt people and their fellow collaborators selling sweets,tom-tom and petty trading at evry corner here in America always jealous of us b'cus we understand English and most of us go to school!
ReplyDeleteThis is why we are bombarding the malaysian government with petitions particularly their immigration and police officers who just bust into the house of nigerians and harass them and their children unnecessarily and we found out it was all a gang up to frame up and steal the big phones,laptops and video games of nigerians and give it to their children b'cus the malaysians could'nt afford those things owned by many nigerians through hardwork!and make it worse many of our country men have been killed innocently just to steal what they have and give it to their own children!i still stand my grounds saying that the documents used to form that harmful and shameful name nigeria has expired and evry regions should be allowed to go their different ways in peace or in pieces namely the "Oduduwa nation-Yoruba speaking the likes","Biafran nation-igbo speaking and their likes","Arewa nation-hausa fulani speaking and their likes"and evry other indigenous people within the geographical location of the expired zoo called nigeria wishing to part of any people or be on their own!b'cus without this paramount issue they have failed to discuss at the just concluded national conference there will be no PEACE! B'cus those of us outside nigerian have received worst or similar treatment at one point or another without commiting any crime except just being a nigerian! "TRAVEL AND SEE "!
(9ijaborn yankeebased)
This is so serious and I feel for the boy. The right steps should be taken and they'll def pay for what they did.
ReplyDeleteBLOG ANALYSER: Sue their sorry ass, mmtcheeew
ReplyDeleteOh sorry Boy.. d airline manager, who was
ReplyDeleteasking why his mother was shouting, should have been giving a dirty slap to Start.. and God will punish every idiot that stressed this innocent boy for four gud days, at such young age..oh and nonsense airline must pay big..dis punk arabs
I don't understand why Nigerians still like to rush to go to these places and waste money. i have travelled far and wide and i will still say this; Nigeria is far more better than these arrogant places(believe me). it is very easy to make money. Education is still much better. These foreigners come here, enjoy so much free things, are chauffeur driven around and are paid so much but the opposite happens when we travel there. i don't sympathise with his parents cos they got what they wanted. When i have to travel and some of my foreign friends envy me cos of some things that i can afford but they cant afford it marvels me. Everything is mortgage. House, car, even some basic amenities. How many white foreigners can have domestic staff, own a land, a house, go to universities or even be a solid entrepreneur? We are far better than them and Nigerians and world need to stop believing what CNN portrays cos its false and malicious.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. I had my Bachelor Degree, Masters, Ph.D all in Nigeria, I am using my 4th car happily married with kids and have my diverse businesses in Nigeria. And guess what, most of my age mates that travelled abroad to have their Masters don't even have a good job nor solid investments...not to talk of having Ph.D. i think going abroad to further is just a distraction.
DeleteI can now understand why most immigrants are returning back to Nigeria and making it big. its like after experiencing such pail and ill-treatment, the passion to succeed here is un-describable..
DeleteIf our stupid so-called leaders would place her citizens above their greed, perhaps, just perhaps these arrogant Arabs will begin to accord us a little bit of respect, deservedly so.
ReplyDeleteSpeechless, I knw our educational system is nt all dat. But I wud rather my children study here than any fucked country. Heartless people, I pray dey r made to pay tru der ass.
ReplyDeleteSuch a pity! I work on the same floor with Egypt Air. Am not surprised at their behaviour. Dat their so called manager can do worse things
ReplyDelete