Aviation Minister and Aerospace Development,Festus Keyamo has insisted that  Turkish Airline must not treat Nigerian passengers with disdain

Keyamo voiced the Federal Government position during his meeting with top officials of the Airline and some functionaries of Turkish embassy in Nigeria.

Those at the meeting include  the airline’s Vice President in Charge of Africa, Hilemet Mesut Turkseven,  General Manager, Lagos, Lokman Balkan, General Manager, Abuja, Akin Carleal, and the Turkish embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Imdat Karakoc.

He emphasized the need for Turkish Airlines to treat Nigerian passengers with dignity.

Keyamo raised concerns about reported instances of disrespect for Nigerian passengers aboard the Airline’s flight.

The Turkish Airlines delegation conveyed the regards of their CEO, Bilal Eksi, to the Honourable Minister, expressing gratitude for his intervention during the recent union actions that had disrupted their operations.

Vice President Turkseven thanked the Minister for his support and reiterated the airline’s commitment to Nigeria, saying that their 18 years of service since commencing operations in 2006 has been rewarding.

He praised Nigerians for their unwavering support and emphasized Turkish Airlines’ dedication to cooperating with the Nigerian government and its agencies to foster further growth in the country.

The Minister assured the delegation that there would be no further disruptions to their flight operations, given that the matter is currently before an industrial court.

He urged Turkish Airlines to continually uphold respect and dignity for Nigerian passengers.

The Minister critiqued the airline’s communication strategy during the union actions, attributing the issues to the attitude of the Country’s Manager.

“I had to advise your authorities to issue a press statement to calm troubled nerves,” he noted.

The Aviation Minister requested an upgrade of the aircrafts used for the Nigerian routes.

In addition wants the problem of transit visas causing Nigerians to be stranded in Istanbul resolve without further delay.

He advised the airline to support local caterers by serving Nigerian cuisine on return journeys.

Deputy Chief of Mission, Imdat Karakoc, assured the Minister that he would discuss these issues with the Turkish authorities back home and promised necessary adjustments.

He said he is  committed to improving the quality of aircrafts used,  stating that the current aircrafts are not specifically directed against Nigeria.