TQM report,
On Sunday 20th December, 2020, Dana Air was at it again, denying another wheelchair user to board with the wheelchair claiming that it is their policy that they do not board a person with a wheelchair.
It was just one week ago that they denied a woman on wheelchair to board with them for the reason that she cannot board with her wheelchair. They had their way with the woman but on Sunday, they met a resistant when they denied Dr. Chike Okogwu, a disability right advocate to board with his wheelchair, he ensured that he brought the activities of DANA AIR in Abuja Airport where the incident happened to a halt.
It all started when Dr. Chike arrived the Abuja Airport at about 7pm and got his boarding pass for a flight that was formerly scheduled for 7.20pm but it was rescheduled to 9.05pm going from Abuja to Lagos.
A few minutes later, the Dana Air staff (A lady) who gave him a boarding pass informed him that as a result of being on a wheelchair, and going by Dana Air Policy of not boarding persons on wheelchair that he will not board on the aircraft. He reached out to the Duty Manager, and he repeated the same thing. Dr. Chike tried to explain to them that it was Dana Air that changed his flight which hitherto supposed to be by 7.20pm and now it was the last night flight which he can afford to miss. He offered to pay the men who will carry him into the aircraft which has been the practice over the years but all his efforts met a brick wall.
His ticket was business class and he was to meet up a medical appointment but the staff of Dana Air was non-nonchalant and insensitive to all his plead, he become angry and damaged their counter because they provoked him by denying him his right as contained in The Discrimination Against Persons with disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 and Dana Air did not inform him online of the any such policy of not boarding persons with disabilities. It was only wnen he is already in the airport and got a business class boarding pass that Dana Air remembered that they have a policy not to board persons on a wheelchair whereby denying him the opportunity of meeting up his medical appointment.
Watch video of Dr. Chike Stranded at the Airport while Dana Air staff still insisting that they are doing the right thing
After denying him boarding, Dana Air also went ahead to arrest him for damaging their counter but for the intervention of Rasak Adekoya of Sightsavers, some people at the airport who showed concern of the injustice meted on their fellow individual and stood their ground to ensure that Dana Air do not further humiliate Dr. Chike.
We got a report that he was released around 1pm on Monday from Police station at the airport where he was taken.
