Three days after 34 passengers disembarked from Aero’s Boeing 737-500 using ladder at Bauchi Airport, the airline said on Monday that its pilot was under pressure from passengers that chartered the aircraft in order to meet up with a wedding ceremony.
Although the airline did not disclose the identity of the groom who hired the aircraft, it said agitation by passengers on board forced the pilot in command, Captain Nikcevic Vlado to buckle under pressure to allow the passenger to disembark after the aircraft waited for 10 minutes for the airport manager to provide the air stairs which he assured was available.
Addressing a media briefing at its headquarters in Lagos, the Accountable Manager and Managing Director, Aero, Capt. Russel Lee Foon, attributed the breach in operational procedures to failure on the part of the airport management.
He said the pilot would not have allowed such breach of safety procedure, but was unsure of the temperament of the passengers who declined to return to Abuja Airport.
He said the airline was assured of adequate ground handling services by the Bauchi Airport Manager before the airline embarked on the flight with B737—500 series with registration 5N-BLG.
Lee Foon said the charter was booked by a group of young people, who were to attend a wedding party, adding that the groom was also on board.
