As Chris Duncan leaves the comforts of Doha, Qatar for his temporary workplace in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, he has in some way prepared himself for the trip. It’s another tale of chaos, which is the Nigerian way, especially at airports. And not even screaming babies and a kangaroo-style plane landing upset him, as he concludes a 36 hour trip.As Chris Duncan leaves the comforts of Doha, Qatar for his temporary workplace in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, he has in some way prepared himself for the trip. It’s another tale of chaos, which is the Nigerian way, especially at airports. And not even screaming babies and a kangaroo-style plane landing upset him, as he concludes a 36 hour trip.
Doha airport, modern and stylish, very functional and with an interesting approach and departure over the sea. In the large concourse it has a large yellow teddy bear as a centre piece keeping an eye on the passengers as they go about their business. Check in, immigration and all other checks flow smoothly and orderly.
Not at the Qatar boarding gate however where the flight to Lagos is boarding. In typical Nigerian style they are boarding with several overweight pieces of hand baggage. The only item missing is the kitchen sink.
Naturally they will argue and raise their voices with the patient check in official, their baggage removed to be stowed in the hull and leading to lengthy delays in the queue.
Then there is the side queue, those who believe the queue is not for them and work their way to the front, a frustrating exercise requiring considerable patience.
Again the flight was packed with no space in the overhead lockers as their bulging bags fill everything. Then there are the ones who demand a beer before breakfast was served, others who do not understand that their seat allocation is just that as they reluctantly move to the correct seat.
Thankfully the flight was uneventful and seated by the window it was interesting to view the crossing of the Red Sea and over the Sudan. A barren looking landscape from the air with the occasional mountain to break the monotony. As we approached West Africa the usual cloud cover appeared.
We landed dead on time and then the usual chaos of Lagos airport erupted with the locals raising their voices at the slow moving immigration queue and the nonchalant attitude of the officials. Once again a mini riot was about to break out until calm was restored by a senior official as the clerks took up their positions and set about their duties.
Then the baggage wait began, it took well over an hour for our bags to start appearing. The stark contrast between the two airports being so noticeable,one first world and the other so third world. Waiting for our taxi to transfer us to the domestic airport we were surrounded by beggars with various limbs missing seeking ways to assist us to make a buck.
Then the real fun started, I expected nothing less really as we entered the domestic departure hall to view Nigeria on the move. Easter weekend is here with the terminal packed with shuffling queues to obtain boarding passes. As usual there were the usual queue dodgers who arrogantly pushed their way to the front leading to more frustration.
And then announcement after announcement listing the delayed flights for “ operational reasons “. The departure hall is packed, chaos rules the Nigerian way, a forty minute delay announced for us. We were now scheduled to depart at 18h10.
Finding a seat I sat and patiently watched the African way. Then a riot broke out with passengers voicing their frustration at the airline and the delays – Arik Air as usual and things were turning ugly. Every flight that afternoon was delayed.
Four and a half hours of patient waiting and still no one has a clue as to what is happening, it would appear that a long night is ahead. A trip to the bathroom only to find no running water and the attendant pouring water from a bucket with a cup over your hands and toilet paper to dry them with, obviously someone has not been paid enough.
At last a flight to Port Harcourt is called with half the hall getting up and pushing their way to the door. Something was not right here as there are way too many passengers for the flight. They pushed and shoved almost sweeping me off my feet as they trampled anything in their way. Then it turned out all the earlier flights to Port Harcourt had not yet departed. A false alarm as I was turned away, this was not our flight so back to finding a seat and the waiting continued. No further announcements were broadcast, maybe the announcer has gone home or run away.
Just after ten the PA system came to life announcing that we would depart before eleven. Highly skeptical that this would happen and exaggerated by the tropical storm now raging with a torrential downpour Chile and myself made a management decision to call it a day. We also weighed up the drive from Port Harcourt airport to the hotel in the early hours of the morning and thought it not wise. Also to be considered were the two drivers and Mopol escorts waiting for us at the other end. The only problem being our bags had been checked on, we now needed to retrieve them and attempt to re book for the next morning.
Returning to the check in hall all hell was breaking loose, crowds were gathered around Arik staff and pushing them around, a lynching was not far off.
Finally we left the airport and took a taxi to the Sheraton Hotel where sleep came easily.
Back to the airport early to have our amended tickets confirmed, the arrangements secured last night had not been made despite assurances that all was in order. More queue shuffling as we were shoved around and finally Chile emerged from the scrum with a grin and two boarding passes. We had secured seats for the eleven am departure.
Once again the departure hall filled rapidly with some familiar faces I had seen the previous evening. The appointed hour came and went as flights departed to everywhere except Port Harcourt.
And then all hell broke loose, the chairman of Arik air had come to the airport to personally stop the flight to Kano which had just been called to the boarding gate and told them his aircraft will never ever fly there again because of what happened the previous night.
These same passengers had departed late yesterday evening and half way to their destination the flight turned back as there is no provision for night landings. I learnt that the highly disgruntled passengers then took it upon themselves to trash the aircraft’s interior. On landing back at Lagos the captain secured the aircraft doors, switched off the lights and aircon and kept them aboard until the authorities arrived.
The tempo increased, the shouting got louder and the pushing and shoving started again. Policemen arrived, the doors to the airside sealed and the passengers dispersed.
Another three hour wait and finally our flight was called. We moved to the exit doors to find them sealed with heavy chains and padlocked with policemen standing around. Go that way we were told and following the others we exited the terminal and were led to the other domestic departure terminal 500m away, passed through all the security checks again and then onto the bus to the aircraft.
Finally on board, I did not care that I had a mother and a screaming infant seated beside me and an hour later Captain Kangaroo bounced us so hard onto the runway I thought the undercarriage would part way.
Thirty six hours later and I was thankfully back in my apartment, that is how things are done here, the Nigerian way.
(culled www.biznews.com)
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