By Sade Williams
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has urged Turkish Airlines to continually uphold and respect the dignity of Nigerian passengers.
He gave the charge in Abuja when he held a meeting with a high-level delegation from the airline’s headquarters in Istanbul.
During the meeting, 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, Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, noted that the Turkish Airlines delegation expressed gratitude for his the Minister’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 emphasized Turkish Airlines’ dedication to cooperating with the Nigerian government and its agencies to foster further growth in the country.
In his response, the Minister 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 advised 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.
Deputy Chief of Mission, Imdat Karakoc, assured the Honourable 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 the airline’s Vice President in Charge of Africa, Hilemet Mesut Turkseven, included General Manager, Lagos, Lokman Balkan, General Manager, Abuja, Akin Carleal, and the Turkish embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Imdat Karakoc.
