Passengers Battle Aero Airline

      Owerri-bound passengers of Aero Contractors, Nigeria's oldest commercial carrier, on Wednesday, staged

a demonstration at the airline's stand inside the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MMA2), Lagos.

  Expressing disgust over the cancellation of their flight without any prior information from the carrier, some of the travellers said that the airline displayed acts of contempt by not considering their plights. "This is grossly inhumane," said a traveller at the terminal who gave his name as Austin. "After waiting for several hours, for them to come out to tell us that they cannot continue with the trip is terrible."

    Ticketing and reservation officers at the carrier's counter were seen trying to placate angry passengers, but refused to speak on the development when contacted. The airline was willing to airlift passengers who were resolute on travelling out of Lagos on Wednesday to Port Harcourt instead of Owerri as indicated on their ticket. Others were asked to come the next day for the trip.

   Meanwhile, the airline has condemned an SMS reportedly circulated by unnamed persons faulting the airworthiness of the carrier and its aircraft. "The text message may be the handiwork of disgruntled competitors who are threatened by the success of the airline over the last few months," the airline said in a statement. The carrier explained that it had contacted the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on the issue, and that the regulatory agency confirmed that Aero meets all safety requirements and regulatory laws obtainable in the aviation industry.