On 31st March 2015, I bought an Arik Air ticket for a trip to Douala, Cameroun on the 24th of April 2015. I was travelling for an important seminar for which I was the Guest Speaker. So, it was imperative to travel on that date (April 24) to avoid any ‘surprises’.

Fast forward to 16th April 2015, I received an email from Arik Air’s Customer Relations informing me that the flight I booked and fully paid for would depart on 25th April; 24 hours later than I planned. As is often the case, ‘operational reasons’ was the preferred excuse.

I was grateful for the advance notice; at least I had enough time to make an alternative arrangement. So, I called Arik Air to cancel my booking and I was promised a full refund within 7 to 21 days. Please take note of this promise.

Seeing that I wouldn’t get the cash refund in time to make a booking with another airline, I had to pay again for the same trip, despite my tight cash situation at the time.

I ended up travelling with Camair-Co, Cameroun’s national airline. I think their service, despite a few delays, is quite remarkable. I still wonder why I didn’t choose them earlier. But that’s another story.

So, to request for a refund, I was asked by the Customer Service Rep to send a formal request to arik.refunds@arikair.com

Since that initial request for refund, I have sent THREE more follow-up emails. I never got any replies; not even one to acknowledge receipt of my emails, as any courteous and customer-centric organisation would do.

To follow up with my refund request, I have called Arik Air’s Customer Service desk SEVEN times! Infact, I was given a phone number to call the Refunds department directly. That number never works. I know because I have called it at different times of the day, via all the networks, and the number is out of use at best.

I was also asked to send another email to the Refunds department and copy the Call Centre Supervisor at callcentre.supervisor@arikair.com. Once more, I sent another email as advised but nothing changed; I got the same cold shoulder treatment.

The last straw that broke my back was the call I made to the Customer Service desk today, 42 days after I formally requested for a refund. After narrating my bitter ordeal to the Rep, she asked me to visit the Arik office on Lagos Mainland to follow-up with my request.

What nonsense! ‘Travel’ all the way from Lekki to physically claim a refund for a payment I made via an electronic channel (online)? Are we back to 1984 or what?

Why would Arik Air, in spite of today’s modern tools of communication (telephone and email), allow customers to show up at its offices to claim refunds? Has Arik Air’s operations degenerated to such lows of inefficiency and ineptitude?

In my experience, the vital feedback loops in Arik Air’s Customer Service function are broken. I have literally exhausted every option, from a customer’s perspective, to seek redress in this matter. This clearly indicates a serious dysfunction that needs to be fixed within Arik Air’s customer relations, if it really plans to become Africa’s biggest airline.

As I have run out of options to address this matter directly with Arik Air, I have resolved to take it to the court of public opinion and any organisation whose mission is to protect consumer rights in Nigeria.

As a customer, I reserve the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Under the law, I deserve to be refunded in full for a service I paid for but did not consume. As a Nigerian citizen, I expect my consumer rights to be upheld and protected.

Arik Air has not kept its promise to refund me within 7 to 21 days. Arik Air has caused me to spend time, effort, telephone bills and mental resources on a customer service function that has failed to live up to its ideals – satisfied customers.

I refuse to join the category of Nigerians who have been short-changed and silenced by the apparent lack of compassion by big corporates in this country. It’s time to start fixing the huge customer relations inefficiencies that pervade most industries in Nigeria.

Everybody knows that good customer service is good for business. If we can get Arik Air to fix this, all Nigerians would be better off. After all, the airline owes its success to the loyalty and patronage of Nigerians. I desperately hope that they listen to this.

Before the days of the internet and social media, it was almost impossible for complaints from invisible Nigerians like me to reach the public domain.

Since I have been largely ignored by the airline, I shall use the revolutionary powers of social media to get its attention, seek redress and cause change.

Like most things on social media that eventually go viral, this is just a spark. For now.

The campaign has begun and the count continues…

#ArikAirBringBackMyMoney

Day 42

For one, and for all…

John-Paul

Arik Air?



Forget it.

I dey ur back...
Arik Air #bringbackhismoney....












No forget to pay me tithe when they refund you...

Wetin concern Fowl with toothpaste? I neva Near Plane b4, so I dunno this one oga, From Okigwe to Uturu na #60, if dem no give us change,Na Fight we dea use settle our own

Escalze:
Arik Air?



Forget it.

Bros, I no go fit forget this one ooo... They chose the wrong person to owe. I must collect my money!

Join the campaign on Twitter: #ArikAirBringBackMyMoney

Rich4god:
I dey ur back...
Arik Air #bringbackhismoney....

No forget to pay me tithe when they refund you...

Yes oo... I sweat for my money. If them wan use my money as working capital, at least they need my permission first. And they won't get it by ignoring and disrespecting me.

Join the movement. Help to spread #ArikAirBringBackMyMoney on Twitter

cyberdurable:
Wetin concern Fowl with toothpaste? I neva Near Plane b4, so I dunno this one oga, From Okigwe to Uturu na #60, if dem no give us change,Na Fight we dea use settle our own

yeye boy

playahata:
yeye boy

who send you? clear road o

Your experience is not different from mine OP....Arik is somewhat an irresponsible organisation when it comes to handling customers' complaints. I had over 40 email exchanges with them at a time to get my own money back.

Bring in the Consumer Protection Council - contact (at) cpc.gov.ng; cpc.lagos (at) yahoo.co.uk. Also bring in their following people (Not like I consider anyone of them responsible as well though.);

Abiola Shodiya <abiola.shodiya@arikair.com>
Prince Ahuchaogu <Prince.Ahuchaogu@arikair.com>
Louis Okonye <Louis.Okonye@arikair.com>

My permutation for Michael's email is also as follows, one of them must hit;

Michael.Arumemi-Ikhide@arikair.com,
Michael.Arumemi_Ikhide@arikair.com,
Michael.Arumemi@arikair.com,
Michael.Ikhide@arikair.com,
Michael@arikair.com

I wish you best of luck.

leighcon:
Your experience is not different from mine OP....Arik is somewhat an irresponsible organisation when it comes to handling customers' complaints. I had over 40 email exchanges with them at a time to get my own money back.

Bring in the Consumer Protection Council - contact (at) cpc.gov.ng; cpc.lagos (at) yahoo.co.uk. Also bring in their following people (Not like I consider anyone of them responsible as well though.);

Abiola Shodiya <abiola.shodiya@arikair.com>
Prince Ahuchaogu <Prince.Ahuchaogu@arikair.com>
Louis Okonye <Louis.Okonye@arikair.com>

My permutation for Michael's email is also as follows, one of them must hit;

Michael.Arumemi-Ikhide@arikair.com,
Michael.Arumemi_Ikhide@arikair.com,
Michael.Arumemi@arikair.com,
Michael.Ikhide@arikair.com,
Michael@arikair.com

I wish you best of luck.

Bros, thanks a big bunch for the invaluable information. I'm ready to send out 1,000 emails if that's what is required to get their attention. Paying lip service to customer complaints is suicidal in any business. I'm actually surprised there are lots of people who have similar experiences.

Well, I'm glad the internet is documenting all of this. One day, they will have to pay for their indiscretions.

Thanks again bro. I really appreciate this.

And if you're one of the 'affected', please join this movement to get our money back from these bullies. Join the #ArikAirBringBackMyMoney protest march.

For one. For all.

Tolite22:


Bros, thanks a big bunch for the invaluable information. I'm ready to send out 1,000 emails if that's what is required to get their attention. Paying lip service to customer complaints is suicidal in any business. I'm actually surprised there are lots of people who have similar experiences.

Well, I'm glad the internet is documenting all of this. One day, they will have to pay for their indiscretions.

Thanks again bro. I really appreciate this.

And if you're one of the 'affected', please join this movement to get our money back from these bullies. Join the #ArikAirBringBackMyMoney protest march.

For one. For all.

I'm very sure they would respond to you quickly as you have taken this publicly on social media. A friend of mine had a similar situation with Airtel but after several ignored emails and phone calls, she took the campaign to twitter. After lambasting the Airtel twitter handle with less than 15 tweets, the irresponsible people had to call her and settled her case within hours.

Customer care in Nigeria is just shit and these companies act like this because they know Nigerians hardly even have a better alternative.

obailala:

I'm very sure they would respond to you quickly as you have taken this publicly on social media. A friend of mine had a similar situation with Airtel but after several ignored emails and phone calls, she took the campaign to twitter. After lambasting the Airtel twitter handle with less than 15 tweets, the irresponsible people had to call her and settled her case within hours.

Customer care in Nigeria is just shit and these companies act like this because they know Nigerians hardly even have a better alternative.

Thank you my brother.

One interesting thing I've noticed is that Arik Air Nigeria is not on Twitter. Can you imagine that?

Any business that has the guts to snub social media must be a monopoly in the strictest sense of the word. Well, I see they have an Arik Air UK handle. I believe they're more discerning with the foreign market because they want to significantly grow their international business.

Maybe it's time to blow this out of Nigeria and let the world really know how frustrated they've made me. Customer service that's this poor should not be condoned anywhere in the world.

They've ignored my private emails but I'm interested to see how they'll snub public opinion.

#ArikAirBringBackMyMoney

^^ Refer them to this link also, so they can also view what people have to say about them.

mine is since may 1st. I paid online n yet arik hasn't refunded my almost 130k for cancelled flights. bin going to their office in transcorp Hilton abuja every week. arik is just so irresponsible. their problem is they don't have competitors. if they do, they won't be doing all this rubbish.

Tolite22:


Yes oo... I sweat for my money. If them wan use my money as working capital, at least they need my permission first. And they won't get it by ignoring and disrespecting me.

Join the movement. Help to spread #ArikAirBringBackMyMoney on Twitter

Customise a jersey or any short(round neck) and writely boldly 'ARIK, WHERE IS MY MONEY' or 'ARIK ARE SCAMMERS'. Take a walk to MMIA n take pictures of it n spread.

Thank me later lol

officialarab:
mine is since may 1st. I paid online n yet arik hasn't refunded my almost 130k for cancelled flights. bin going to their office in transcorp Hilton abuja every week. arik is just so irresponsible. their problem is they don't have competitors. if they do, they won't be doing all this rubbish.

Really? This is just unacceptable!

They can hold on to my money but I will never close my mouth until my hard-earned money is back in my pocket. I can't believe an organisation this big is getting away with customer neglect in this modern age.

Well, I plan to remain as vocal and stubborn as Madam Oby Ezekwesili of Bring Back Our Girls until Arik Air brings back my money!

#ArikAirBringBackMyMoney

Soyedele1:


Customise a jersey or any short(round neck) and writely boldly 'ARIK, WHERE IS MY MONEY' or 'ARIK ARE SCAMMERS'. Take a walk to MMIA n take pictures of it n spread.

Thank me later lol

Very creative perspective. I'll add it to my bag of surprises for this campaign.

Thanks brother.

#ArikAirBringBackMyMoney

Brother I advise u storm their office and make some serious noise @least if it gets to that slap one staff,cos as u can see water don pass garri already! #vegatalks

vega84:
Brother I advise u storm their office and make some serious noise @least if it gets to that slap one staff,cos as u can see water don pass garri already! #vegatalks

True talk, my brother. Water really don pass garri.

There's just one big problem I have with the strategy you've suggested.

"When you fight with a pig, both of you get dirty. But the pig likes it."

The main people who should be slapped are hiding behind desks in their big offices. No need to slap the poor guys at the bottom. This battle is for the guys at the top.

Thanks all the same bro. I really appreciate it.

#ArikAirBringBackMyMoney

Arik is slowly becoming a national disgrace. It's rather unfortunate since they used to be one of nigeria's best airlines. But I guess the so-called "Nigerian factor" has kicked in.

bigboss80s:
Arik is slowly becoming a national disgrace. It's rather unfortunate since they used to be one of nigeria's best airlines. But I guess the so-called "Nigerian factor" has kicked in.

You're very right my brother.

This is what we get when there's poor competition. Arik's behavior just reminds me of the arrogance of NITEL back in the day. I don't think it's a Nigerian factor thing. I think it's a market factor thing. If the industry were more competitive, all these monopolistic tendencies would simply not exist.

#ArikAirBringBackMyMoney

Day 43

http://cpc.gov.ng/

Nigeria's consumer protection council.


They actually work

oyb:
http://cpc.gov.ng/

Nigeria's consumer protection council.


They actually work

Really? I'm very glad to hear that.

The only way to find out is to try them. I've just been to the CPC website and it actually has a section for submitting petitions online. I didn't know that this exists.

Well, I shall put the CPC to the test. I will submit my petition and see if it works. I shall share any updates I get from them here so any one who has similar problems now or in the future will benefit from all this documented information about my ordeal with Arik Air.

Thanks for the tip Oyb.

#ArikAirBringBackMyMoney

Day 43

Update: I used the form on the Consumer Protection Council's website at http://cpc.gov.ng/?page_id=907 to file a petition against Arik Air. I hear the CPC works in Nigeria and I'm about to find out first hand.

I also sent an official email to the CPC at contact@cpc.gov.ng and copied all the people that Leighcon recommended.

I really want to see how Arik Air responds to this.

Fingers crossed.


#ArikAirBringBackMyMoney

Day 49

Any update yet?

Update:

Case closed!

Yes, the case is closed!

After the email I sent to the Consumer Protection Council, and copied the top guys in Arik Air (including the Group CEO), I got a call in less than 30 minutes from the Arik Air Group CEO's office (in the UK).

It feels like the guys in the UK office (Arik Air International) are a totally different breed from the guys in Lagos. After the guy from the CEO's office called, I finally got a call from Arik's Customer Care office in Lagos.

As usual, there were profuse apologies and all that.

But the good thing is I got a credit alert just 48 hours after I sent out that email. Can you believe that? A refund process that dragged on for 49 days was resolved in less than 48 hours?

A couple of learning points for everyone:

1) NEVER GIVE UP! I can only imagine the number of refund matters like mine that have been swept under the carpet just because the people involved simply gave up. This is Naija, and you need to show your fangs from time to time to enforce your rights. As long as you work hard for your money, you shouldn't just give up on it. Big companies already have a lot of money. Why should I 'dash' them mine?

2) DON'T FIGHT LIKE A PIG. I remember a few contributions on this thread that suggested I make some physical trouble at the Arik Air Lagos office. Well, this is the 21st century and there's a beast called email and a bigger monster called the internet. I got my refund and the results I wanted without leaving my house. I know some people have physically visited Arik's office (in Lagos and Abuja) and still have no results. The best place to throw punches these days is via emails, social media etc. Don't fight like a pig, you won't get results.

3) GET THE TOP INVOLVED. Most bosses can't really see how business is done at the bottom of their organisations. And most people at the bottom behave 'anyhow' because oga doesn't know what's going on. But when you get oga involved, the 'busy body' phenomenon kicks in, and magically, everyone starts to do their jobs properly.

4) GET A WATCH DOG INVOLVED. By submitting a petition to the Consumer Protection Council, a watchdog, Arik Air had to take action to redeem its corporate image. I'm one of those skeptics who don't believe in, and have little confidence in, the Nigerian public services. But this experience is surely one good point in their favour.

5) BE POLITE. In all your anger, please refrain from expletives like 'stupid', 'foolish', 'nonsense', 'I will deal with you'. We like to use threats and abuses too much in this country. And when you're dealing with corporates, you need to play their own game. Don't give anyone an excuse to dismiss your person.. In all my emails to Arik, I remained polite while showing my fangs. I guessed it all paid off.

So, there it is. The official end of my refund ordeal with Arik. This thread would serve as a reference to anyone, now and in the future, who suffers the same fate. Apply my learning points above and you'll surely get your money back in your pocket.

Arik Air brought back my money...

I don get alert. Godwin!

Cheers,

John-Paul
www.twitter.com/JP_Iwuoha

I need this service right now. Who knows how I can get my money from Arik?

mjay:
I need this service right now. Who knows how I can get my money from Arik?

Same here
On what route if I may ask
I bought mine from wakanow
Los - jfk

mjay:
I need this service right now. Who knows how I can get my money from Arik?

send a mail to consumer protection council with your ticket info - contact@cpc.gov.ng