Arik Air Flight W3107 was a nightmare for the dozens of
travelers who boarded that flight back on March 31st 2014. It was late,
and adding insult to injury, it was also a flight noted for a lack of
air conditioning.
Arik
Air officials, who had earlier claimed on twitter that the videos were
doctored, issued a statement saying, essentially, they are sorry.
To
all guest who traveled on flight W3107 (from Lagos, Nigeria to JFK, New
York) on 31st March 2014, the statement reads: " Arik Air offers an
unconditional apology, for the inconvenience and discomfort caused by
both the 55 minute delayed flight departure, and the failure of the
airplane’s air-conditioning system prior to said departure.
“In
this regard, the experienced schedule delay was a result of
complications related to the cargo loading process as managed by Arik
Air’s contracted ground-handling agent,” the public statement goes on to
add.
“Unfortunately, whilst efforts were rightly being expended
to overcome the cargo loading difficulties, the backup air conditioning
unit (which should have been provided by our ground handling agent,) was
declared unserviceable and thus unavailable for use. Upon resolution of
the cargo loading difficulties, the air-conditioning system was finally
restored as the aircraft prepared for immediate departure under its own
engine power.”
While the explanation as to what occurred on that
jet plane is clear as it stood grounded on the airport tarmac, for many
on board, the story paints only part of the picture for the
inconvenienced passengers sweating away on a flight delayed for over an
hour.
