Dana Air debunks fake media reports on diverted 168 passengers

As deputy CEO speaks on flight delays
MIKE OCHONMA 
The management of Dana Air said its attention has been drawn to false statements circulating online about a Dana Air aircraft carrying about 168 passengers to an unknown destination and had to return according to the report. 
To set records straight, Dana Air said it operates a mixed fleet of Boeing 737, a brand new bombardier Learjet 145 and Boeing MD83 aircraft with a total capacity of 143, 8 and 147 respectively. 

“While we accept the fact we had slight delays on all our flights on 1st and 2nd of March 2022 due to ramp congestion and fuel scarcity, there was no such incident”.

In a statement signed by Kingsley Ezenwa, media and communications manager of Dana Air,. it reads, ” Dana Air will continue to operate in line with global safety standards and our customers and crew will continue to be at the heart of all we do. The general public is advised to disregard this fake news as it is totally baseless and malicious”. 

Meanwhile, Sukhjinder Mann, deputy chief executive officer of Dana Air said since the commencement of its flight services, the aviation company’s commitment has always been centered on offering reliable air transport, setting new standards in customer experience and redefining air travel in Nigeria.

The statement from the deputy chief executive reads..

However, I admit that we have been falling short on this commit in the last few days and not living up to our promise to offer a reliable schedule and on time performance that we have come to be known for. Knowing that you have been inconvenienced and disappointed with our services has been heartbreaking for me and the entire Dana Air family.

I accept that our recent disruptions due ramp congestion, bad weather, and most recently, scarcity of fuel would have affected your plans and I understand how frustrating it would have been for you to contact our customer service representative to reschedule your flight or having to wait in some instances, but I would like to reassure you that all your feedback has not gone unnoticed regardless of how your sent them.

We Owe You an Explanation….

Your safety and comfort is not negotiable and takes precedence over any other consideration.  However, the varying operational concerns stated earlier had some effect on the delivery of our promise and commitment to you. But with this note, I promise you that many changes and enhancements are in the works. Yes, it might not happen overnight, but I am confident that they are achievable.  

On fuel scarcity, we are working with our partners to significantly mitigate the challenge and I am pleased to advise that we have made major inroads in this area with our key suppliers. We will continue to do our best to minimize any foreseeable challenges while hoping that the situation improves generally for all carriers as soon as possible.

On ramp congestion and terminal infrastructure, we have commenced talks with the airport authorities on practical solutions to these issues. A slight delay due bad weather at destination or congestion due to inadequate aircraft parking space might cause extensive delays on all the flights an aircraft is scheduled to operate on that day. These are ongoing issues for us and all local Nigerian airlines, but better days are ahead as we remain committed to finding lasting solutions to these issues with the cooperation of the airport authority and terminal operators.

Today, I write to ask for your patience and understanding while we make that happen. I cannot thank you enough for your constant support, loyalty, and valuable feedback – it  helps us to know what we need to address to remain your airline of choice.You remain at the center of everything we do and your confidence in us is the reason we have won the highest of awards for aviation excellence over the last 13 years. 

Our determination is to make Dana Air one of Nigeria’s most reliable and customer friendly airline with a commitment to maintain our safety standards, operational efficiency, schedule reliability and renowned service.
For those cherished guests that have been inconvenienced on the 1st March, 2022 I would like you to get intouch with our call centre so that we can remedy the situation and make matters right for you. 

You are the reason we fly and since we let you down yesterday we would like to offer each affected passenger (on the 1st March, 2022) a complimentary ticket (matching the class of travel that you flew with us on) and a free Dana Miles card with 5,000 points already loaded on it for you to help you earn that next free ticket on Dana Air – it’s our way of saying sorry for the inconvenience caused to your travel plans and that you really matter to us.