SHOCKER! Dana Airline wins FAAN Award’s best Domestic Carrier
Dana Air crash Collage
News like these make it seem Nigerians are insensitive. Doesn’t FAAN have a PR who is looking after its brand? How insensitive can FAAN be to have given the killer airline- DANA an award.
Last night, the BBC, in trying to save face over the paedophile activities of their once mega star player, Sir Jimmy Savile showed a documentary indicting top officials who failed in the line of duty.
BBC DJ – Jimmy Savile
As posted by BBC news, on Monday, in a BBC Panorama report on abuse claims and the axed Newsnight report, one alleged victim expressed anger her interview had not aired.
That was not enough…two charities set up in Savile’s name are to close. The Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust and the Jimmy Savile Stoke Mandeville Hospital Trust say their funds will be distributed to other charities, after deciding against continuing under new names because they felt they would always be linked in the public’s mind with the late presenter.
The Jimmy Savile case is not more sensitive than the Dana air crash case, and yet, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has deemed it fit to award Dana of all airlines….weather it was for 2009, 0r 2011 activities, its irrelevant. How do you explain this award to the families of the victims, huh?
FAAN MD George Uriesi
Read on as posted in the Guardian newspaper….
IN what families of the June 3 Dana Airline plane crash victims may find offensive, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at the weekend named the airline as the best domestic carrier for 2011.
According to FAAN’s Regional General Manager, Mr. Chris Bature, while the airline was chosen for its good customer relations and prompt payment of dues, Lufthansa Airlines was also selected as the best international carrier for the same period.
The Dana plane crash killed the entire 153 passengers and crew members on board, in addition to other victims in the residential area where the doomed plane slammed into. Various buildings were also destroyed. The Federal Government promptly seized its license, but restored it 93 days after the crash, provoking outrage across the country.
Speaking at the occasion, Bature stated that the airline was selected because of its outstanding performance. His words: “Mode of selection includes passenger capacity, frequency of the landing and take-off, their response to payment of bills. Among the domestic carriers, they were the best. They had the best volume, they were punctual in their operations.”
FAAN Winner
Reacting to a question on the timing of the award, Bature explained that the award would have taken place earlier in the year. He also observed that the reward came after the operator’s license had been restored. “In all fairness, they did their best and we need to recognise that and encourage them to get back to their feet,” he added.
Dana’s Station Manager at the Abuja airport, Mr. Kayode Adeniran, stated that the airline’s commitment to best customer service and timely departure earned it the award. He said: “We have this policy in our company that we must not delay passengers and we introduced another type of system. If your flight is delayed by 40 minutes, we give refreshments to all passengers that already had their boarding passes. So people were so impressed by our service.”
However, he lamented over the loss of lives occasioned by the crash, stressing that the operator visited and commiserated with the families of the deceased.
To prevent a recurrence, the station manager revealed that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has embarked on an investigation to ascertain when the airline would be allowed to commence operations.
He said the airline has commenced demonstration flights as stipulated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). He also said that the operation would run until NCAA certifies the carrier fit to resume full operations.
Call me a biased or maybe even prejudiced but I think this is the height of insensitivity on the part of Dana Airlines and FAAN, but really it should not come as a surprise. The self hatred Nigerians have for themselves I doubt can ever be matched. But as they say in America talk is cheap. I for one will not be flying or encourage others to if I have to foot the bill.
As for the Jimmy Savile saga that has made the BBC look very bad and again highlights to what extent some people and organizations will go to try to cover up possible negative stories all to keep their ratings high. Although I am somewhat bemused at why the BBC Director general had to appear before a house of commons select committee when investigations by the police are ongoing. I wonder is there a paedophile ring within the BBC? It must be terrible for the victims after so many years.