The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Mr Festus Keyamo has expressed concern about the reported cases and instances of disrespect of Nigerian passengers by Turkish Airlines.
Media aide to the minister, Mr Tunde Moshood said in a statement that Keyamo bared his mind on the matter when he hosted a delegation of the airline which included its vice president in charge of Africa, Hilemet Mesut Turkseven, general manager, Lagos, Lokman Balkan, general manager, Abuja, Akin Carleal, and the deputy chief of mission Turkish Embassy, Imdat Karakoc.
He stressed the importance of maintaining high standards of customer service and dignity for all passengers.
Responding, Turkseven expressed his gratitude to the minister for his intervention in the face-off with the labour union which led to the recent disruption of the airline’s operation.
He praised Nigerians for support to the airline and expressed the carrier’s dedication to cooperating with the government and its agencies to foster further growth in the country.
Keyamo assured the delegation that there would be no further disruptions to their operations, given that the matter was already before the industrial court.
He urged Turkish Airlines to continually uphold respect and dignity for Nigerian passengers.
Keyamo attributed the fracas with the union to the attitude of the airline’s country manager.
The minister also made three demands to the Turkish Airlines team, including the need to upgrade the type of aircraft used for flights to Nigeria, the resolution transit visa which causes Nigerians to be stranded in Istanbul, and the support to local caterers by serving Nigerian cuisine on return journeys.
Responding, Karakoc assured the minister that he would discuss the issues with the Turkish authorities to make the necessary adjustments.
