 Published
August 8th, 2011
I would like to praise the name of the Lord God Almighty,
who is instrumental to my safety, in the course of the
quality flight experience I have enjoyed since I started
commuting by air, for over two decades now. For me, there
has not really been any moment on air I had cause to panic
for fear of any real or imagined danger in the skies!
I am not dwelling on Aurora Vulnerabilities in this piece,
although this is not sweeping under the carpet the urgency
for Nigeria to begin planning against cyber-security threats
to our critical infrastructure like power plants and the
telecommunication system. My focus is rather on an Aerial
Vulnerability I experienced while on a flight from Abuja to
Lagos.
I had an international telecommunications summit to anchor,
but on learning the event had been postponed till next
month, I had to shift all my attention and energy for the
second event- the 62nd edition of the Telecom Parliament at
the instance of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC,
built for the National Universities Commission, NUC, on June
09, 2011.
Bolstered by the confidence in previous flights, both local
and international, I had to rely on Biabol Travels & Tours
Limited, to make my reservations at Arik Air. Our Flight W3
151 from Lagos to Abuja , billed to take off 7.00am
Wednesday, June 08, did not take off until some minutes
later, obviously due to the sluggish check-in exercise, was
smooth and the landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport, Abuja, was smooth, inspite of the early morning
downpour.
The only burden I struggled with, as our aircraft
manoeuvered the skies, was my inability to travel home June
07, to Orlu in Imo State, for the burial of my causin, Ngozi
Emejuru-Nnadiekwe, who died early the previous month, after
I had assured my relatives I would be home for it.
The Consumer Parliament over, I went to our Abuja office and
held some discussions with the manager before heading back
to my hotel room near The Heritage Building in Wuse Zone 3.
I made up my mind not to do first flight, so I could rest
properly before heading back to Lagos. This time, I boarded
a taxi from my hotel and made for the airport wherein I
booked with Arik for the return to Lagos.
At the Departure Lounge of the local wing of the airport, I
had struck rhythm with Dr. Gabriel Gana Bake of the Federal
University of Minna, Niger State, who was on his way for a
presentation in one of the neighbouring countries. Dr.
Gabriel and I discussed a lot from life outside our shores
to corruption in the polity, through poor airport facilities
to attitude of airport staff and safety in our airspace,
among others.
Our Abuja to Lagos Flight W3 156, billed to take off at
12.00pm did not leave until some minutes later, as in the
flight from Lagos to Abuja, June 08. As the aircraft taxied
on the runway with ‘some roughness’ the discussions I just
had with Dr. Gabriel came alive. Gabriel and I were now
separated by some distance aboard the flight ( he was on
seat 11 while I was on seat 15), so we could not further our
discussion nor share our experience on the not-very-
smooth-taxiing on the runway.
I knew the captain was competent, so I quickly started
praying my Rosary until the anxiety of the taxiing on the
runway faded for a smooth take off! At about 1.15pm, Cabin
Supervisor Laura announces: “Please, if there is any medical
doctor aboard could he make himself available?” Instantly,
my confidence was shaken. I had rounded off my Rosary, but
was still cluthing it on my right hand. Anxiety mounted and
every passenger stretched their necks towards our direction.
I could hear somebody mutter that an asthmatic was about
fainting in the aircraft. As I looked behind, a middle aged
lady was already gasping for breath. All the cabin crew
rallied to her help and put an airtube on her nostrils to
aid her breathing. A volunteer doctor came from behind my
seat, but from interactions between him and the crew it was
clear there was no Ventolin to help the poor lady. As God
would have it, a passenger I suspect is from India, opened
his luggage and brought out a Ventolin pack and instructed
the lady should “use it and keep it with her.”
The volunteer doctor shook the pack and gave the lady some
helpings from it. He assured nothing would happen to her,
but said “she might fall asleep for a while.” Again, turning
to the male passenger next to the asthmatic, the volunteer
doctor said: “Please, continue to ask her questions so that
at least she talks.” I was praying silently for the lady
when I noticed the next passenger to me, obviously a
Moslem,( from the way he conducted himself during
prayers)doing the same. Anxiety gave way to joy when I heard
the lady tell the crew, “thank you, I am ok.” I smiled at
her and told her sorry, too. This whole episode lasted for
about 15minutes!
When the aircraft touched down at MM2 Lagos, the Cabin
Supervisor again made the usual announcements, including,
but not limited to all phones being put off. However, one
elderly man flouted this instruction and this action of his
drew opprobrium from my seat partner and I.
When we alighted from the flight, I approached the volunteer
doctor and asked for his name. In a hurry he said Dr. Dunka.
When I asked for his nationality he told me: ‘’I am very
much Nigerian, proudly so.” I congratulated him and wished
him well before rejoining Dr. Gabriel.
The lesson from this account is that many in-flight deaths
occur due mainly to inadequate medical facilities and
non-existent medical personnel as well as stubbornness and
carelessness on the part of both cabin crew and passengers
on board. In the case of Flight W3 156, Arik Cabin Crew were
alive to their responsibility and for this, I give them
kudos. However, all airlines must ensure they make adequate
arrangement for medical equipment and facilities to be
onboard their flights to prevent avoidable deaths.
The airline industry regulators in Nigeria and elsewhere
must rise to this challenge and ensure that passengers
safety and security are assured while they commute by air.
· Agugoesi , Editor of Africa Telecom &
IT magazine, contributed this article from 4A Aro-Omoba
Crescent, Off Simbiat Abiola Way, Ikeja, Lagos, vide
cliffordagugoesi@gmail.com |
