Russel Lee Foon, the accountable manager and managing director, Aero Contractor, says the Bauchi airport manager assured the airline of adequate ground handling services before the airline embarked on the flight with B737—500 series with registration number 5N-BLG.
Lee Foon, who disclosed this while briefing aviation correspondents on Monday, on what happened at Bauchi Airport at the weekend, said the charter was booked by a group of young people, who were to attend a wedding party and that the groom was also on board.
The accountable manager explained that on December 18, 2015, Peter Omata, the airline’s head of ground operations, confirmed the handling of the flight through Abubakar, the airport manager of Bauchi, and that he also confirmed on many occasions the availability of the air stairs and cost.
He further explained that prior to leaving Abuja, the flight dispatcher contacted the airport manager to advise that the aircraft was taxing out and he confirmed that they were ready to receive the flight.
According to him, “At 10:42am the aircraft touched down on Runway 35 at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport. The controller advised the crew that due the absence of marshallers and no ramp officials of any sort that parking would be at their own discretion.”
He continued, “At 10:44am the flight dispatcher on board contacted the airport manager to advise him that they were on the ground, to which he confirmed that he was seeing the aircraft on taxi and that they were waiting. After parking, the Captain reported that they waited for up to 10 minutes for the stairs to be brought to the aircraft but no assistance or stairs came to the aircraft.
“The Captain reported that he informed the passengers of the situation as they were beginning to get agitated. What was not known to the crew at the beginning of the flight was that the groom of the wedding was on board the flight. The wedding was to be starte
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