Airline Experience

https://www.aljazeera.com//airlines-airports-treat-african

I have watched, listened to and read so many tales of innocent passengers getting into trouble over packages either purportedly smuggled into their luggages or ...an additional luggage being tagged to them without their knowledge. This is indeed a very scary experience, especially with the experience some of these victims have gone through or are going through. This reminds me of an experience 2yrs ago while flying out through one of our international airports in Nigeria, it is now that I am realizing how I could have been victimized for something I knew nothing about if indeed it was the intentions of the people who handled my baggage after I had successfully checked it in. I still want to believe it was their intention to actually steal from my bag rather than plant something in it. I had watched a clip on Youtube a few years earlier of how bags or luggages with zips were breached without a trace of the owner noticing that the bag/luggage had been tampered with, they simply run the zip back round the bag and the bag is locked again without a trace of having been tampered with. Being a frequent traveler, I had become so paranoid since watching this clip and as such devised my own security measures aimed at preventing such break ins since most bags and luggages are made with zips nowadays. My small invention was to simply make only one zip functional thus opening and closing the bag/ luggage with only one zip to one end, this system worked for me until this day I was to fly out of Nigeria. I got to the airport on time on this fateful day and checked in a suitcase and a duffle bag, I got my boarding pass and proceeded to the departure lounge where I had to be for almost 2hrs before my flight. Just as the boarding of my flight was about to be announced, I saw two officials of the airline come into the departure area (by our departure gate) and announced my name. I was shocked, I then asked them what the issue was but the two airline officials did not offer any explanation other than for me to come with them. We made our way back to the airport's check in area and I was taken to a corner where my duffle bag was right on the floor with all its content (my personal effects) was exposed, it was apparently clear that someone had definitely attempted to access the bag and didn't realize he would not be able to cover his track. To add insult upon the injury, a manager (I don't want to believe he is indeed a manager of such a reputable airline) came and was now trying to play the incident down. He kept reminding me that my flight was now boarding and that I could miss the flight if I do not simply lock the bag back and proceed for boarding as he was sure nothing was missing from the bag. I simply said I needed him to document this incident and have it on record as I would not be too sure of what may have been taken out of my bag at that point since I was not in the best frame of mind to really remember what was packed in which bag/ luggage having checked in two items, I wasn't even thinking of the fact that someone may have actually attempted to plant something in that bag at that moment. I was just angry over whatever personal effect that may have been removed from my bag, the so-called manager's arrogance got me so pissed off as he kept saying I had a right to review the cctv of the baggage room to see that no one tried to open my bag and that if I was not careful the aircraft will take off without me. I simply dared him and the airline to take off without me knowing it was absolutely impossible for the airline to make such a decision having checked me in already and my matter which was already escalated remained unresolved. I stood my ground insisting he made an official report so that I could proceed for boarding but the guy was just too reluctant to do so, this aroused my suspicion that he definitely knew about the incident and wants to cover it up. As the commotion was on, a caucasian airline manager came and heard the issue and could not say a word but instead took the arrogant Naija airline manager aside and one could see he was admonishing him. The airport police soon stepped into the matter and myself and the so-called manager were taken to their office to write statements on the matter, statements written and a verbal interview followed. I felt even more insulted by this joke of a manager when he told the police that he was refusing to write a report because he "knows Nigerians", he went further to say I will go and be claiming things which I never had from the airline. I was happy when the police went down hard on the guy, they tongue lashed him for such a statement and asked if he would have been happy if he was traveling and handed his luggage over to the airline intact and in good faith only to find one of his luggage ripped open like mine. The police then assured me that they were going to make copies of our statements and do a report which they would forward to the airline themselves, they then pleaded with me to proceed to boarding. By this time, this flight was already delayed by 50mims (I was the last to board). Reflecting on this incident today made me realize how possible it could have been for these devilish elements to put an innocent passenger in a mess the passenger knew absolutely nothing about, my heart goes to those innocent ones who may have found themselves in this situation and their lives hanging in the balance right at this moment. Only God can console the families of those who may have paid the supreme price or jailed for knowing nothing about what they were executed or incarcerated for and most of whose families and friends can't trust what really happened. I do hope this experience will help many to take extra precautions with their checked in luggages, pls be safe. CHEERS!!!!

I have watched, listened to and read so many tales of innocent passengers getting into trouble over packages either purportedly smuggled into their luggages or ...an additional luggage being tagged to them without their knowledge. This is indeed a very scary experience, especially with the experience some of these victims have gone through or are going through. This reminds me of an experience 2yrs ago while flying out through one of our international airports in Nigeria, it is now that I am realizing how I could have been victimized for something I knew nothing about if indeed it was the intentions of the people who handled my baggage after I had successfully checked it in. I still want to believe it was their intention to actually steal from my bag rather than plant something in it. I had watched a clip on Youtube a few years earlier of how bags or luggages with zips were breached without a trace of the owner noticing that the bag/luggage had been tampered with, they simply run the zip back round the bag and the bag is locked again without a trace of having been tampered with. Being a frequent traveler, I had become so paranoid since watching this clip and as such devised my own security measures aimed at preventing such break ins since most bags and luggages are made with zips nowadays. My small invention was to simply make only one zip functional thus opening and closing the bag/ luggage with only one zip to one end, this system worked for me until this day I was to fly out of Nigeria. I got to the airport on time on this fateful day and checked in a suitcase and a duffle bag, I got my boarding pass and proceeded to the departure lounge where I had to be for almost 2hrs before my flight. Just as the boarding of my flight was about to be announced, I saw two officials of the airline come into the departure area (by our departure gate) and announced my name. I was shocked, I then asked them what the issue was but the two airline officials did not offer any explanation other than for me to come with them. We made our way back to the airport's check in area and I was taken to a corner where my duffle bag was right on the floor with all its content (my personal effects) was exposed, it was apparently clear that someone had definitely attempted to access the bag and didn't realize he would not be able to cover his track. To add insult upon the injury, a manager (I don't want to believe he is indeed a manager of such a reputable airline) came and was now trying to play the incident down. He kept reminding me that my flight was now boarding and that I could miss the flight if I do not simply lock the bag back and proceed for boarding as he was sure nothing was missing from the bag. I simply said I needed him to document this incident and have it on record as I would not be too sure of what may have been taken out of my bag at that point since I was not in the best frame of mind to really remember what was packed in which bag/ luggage having checked in two items, I wasn't even thinking of the fact that someone may have actually attempted to plant something in that bag at that moment. I was just angry over whatever personal effect that may have been removed from my bag, the so-called manager's arrogance got me so pissed off as he kept saying I had a right to review the cctv of the baggage room to see that no one tried to open my bag and that if I was not careful the aircraft will take off without me. I simply dared him and the airline to take off without me knowing it was absolutely impossible for the airline to make such a decision having checked me in already and my matter which was already escalated remained unresolved. I stood my ground insisting he made an official report so that I could proceed for boarding but the guy was just too reluctant to do so, this aroused my suspicion that he definitely knew about the incident and wants to cover it up. As the commotion was on, a caucasian airline manager came and heard the issue and could not say a word but instead took the arrogant Naija airline manager aside and one could see he was admonishing him. The airport police soon stepped into the matter and myself and the so-called manager were taken to their office to write statements on the matter, statements written and a verbal interview followed. I felt even more insulted by this joke of a manager when he told the police that he was refusing to write a report because he "knows Nigerians", he went further to say I will go and be claiming things which I never had from the airline. I was happy when the police went down hard on the guy, they tongue lashed him for such a statement and asked if he would have been happy if he was traveling and handed his luggage over to the airline intact and in good faith only to find one of his luggage ripped open like mine. The police then assured me that they were going to make copies of our statements and do a report which they would forward to the airline themselves, they then pleaded with me to proceed to boarding. By this time, this flight was already delayed by 50mims (I was the last to board). Reflecting on this incident today made me realize how possible it could have been for these devilish elements to put an innocent passenger in a mess the passenger knew absolutely nothing about, my heart goes to those innocent ones who may have found themselves in this situation and their lives hanging in the balance right at this moment. Only God can console the families of those who may have paid the supreme price or jailed for knowing nothing about what they were executed or incarcerated for and most of whose families and friends can't trust what really happened. I do hope this experience will help many to take extra precautions with their checked in luggages, pls be safe. CHEERS!!!!

https://www.thepopple.com/hilarious-moments-spotted-at-the-

Just imagine this experience

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/step-by-step-first-time-air-

This is one of the numerous sad tales of foreign airlines' discriminatory handling of passengers, wondered if these unfortunate passengers were Canadian, British or any other first world nation citizens. My question is, would this airline treat these first world nationals the same way they are treating Nigerians right now?

Very shameful indeed