European Airlines' Maltreatment of Africans Must Stop

The long history of exploitation and maltreatment of African people by European airlines can no longer be ignored. In fact, they must stop. The petition below is a rallying call for an end to such exploitation and maltreatment which are obvious to any one who travels to and from Africa with any one of these European airlines.

Specifically, this is our position: Since African people are a part of the human race, European Airlines should treat them with respect and dignity, just like they treat any other group of human beings who are not Africans. As such, the apparent maltreatment of Africans by the European airlines will no longer be ignored. We must stop this maltreatment NOW.

Signing of the petition has ended today, April 1, 2005. However, you can participate in the poll at the end of this petition. For questions about this petition, send an email to: umez@umez.com or call 281-425-6368.

Together, we will matter and make Africa proud again.
Thanks for your continued fraternal support and be blessed abundantly.

About Dr. Umez, the author of the Petition

Below is the Petition

From: CONCERNED AFRICANS & FRIENDS OF AFRICA
January 24, 2002

TO: United Nations (UN), Organization of African Unity (OAU),
Organization of American States (OAS), International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO), Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA), and the European Union (EU)

CC: Lufthansa, Alitalia, British Airways, KLM, Virgin Atlantic,
Air France, and Swissair

CC: Kweisi Mfume, President NAACP; Rev. Jessie Jackson,
Rainbow/Push Coalition; Kofi Annan, Secretary General, UN;
Randal Robinson, Founder of TransAfrica; Ambassador Andrew Young;
Colin Powell, Secretary of State, US Government

CC: All African Governments: The Governments of Algeria,
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cote D'ivoire,
Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Rwanda, Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic,
Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Senegal, Sierra Leone,
Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo,
Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

A PETITION
European Airlines’ Maltreatment of Africans Must Stop

• Considering the exorbitant air fares being charged on African routes by European Airlines;

• Considering the poor services given to Africans and the rudeness of most staff of European Airlines to Africans;

• Considering that mosquito and other insect killing chemicals are being sprayed in the passenger areas of these European airplanes right before leaving Africa for Europe;

• Considering that much older planes are being used for African routes;

• Considering that flights to and from Africa are generally overbooked; and

• Considering the unwarranted and humiliating searching of African passengers by Customs officials at the airports in Europe, we, the signatories, therefore:

Call upon the United Nations, Organization of African Unity, Organization of American States, International Civil Aviation Organization, Federal Aviation Administration, and the European Union to investigate maltreatment of Africans by the European airlines and ask, without further delay, European airlines to:

1. Lower the exorbitant air fares being charged to Africans;

2. Improve the quality of their services to Africans, e.g., the quality of the meals;

3. Use newer planes (which are comparable to those used in Trans-Atlantic flights) to transport Africans to and from Europe and America;

4. Stop spraying mosquito and other insect killing chemicals WHILE African passengers are seated in these flights;

5. Stop overbooking of Africans to Europe/North America; and finally,

6. Search Africans with dignity, respect and decorum, and generally apply the universal standard of treating all customers as equals.

We condemn strongly the apparent injustice to Africans, and in support of our petition, submit that:

1. For so long, European airlines, specifically, Lufthansa, Alitalia, British Airways, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, and Swissair have continuously charged Africans exorbitant fares. Compare, for instance, the following standard round trip fares from the US to Africa and from the US to Asia (21-day advance purchase, Source: Yahoo Travel, January 23, 2002).

[b]US to AFRICA US to ASIA
Houston, US to Ghana = $1,570 Houston, US to Beijing, China = $649
Houston, US to Nigeria = $1,539 Houston, US to Tokyo, Japan = $608
Houston, US to Kenya = $1,813 Houston, US to Korea = $658
Houston, US to Tanzania = $1,929 Houston, US to Philippines = $715

It is noteworthy that the distance between the US and Asia is much longer than that between the US and Africa. For instance, while the distance between Houston, US and Ghana is 5,513 nautical miles, the distance between Houston, US and Beijing, China is 6,276 nautical miles. While some rationalize the higher fares by arguing that Africa has less traffic volume, it must be noted that flights to/from African countries are often overbooked (as noted in item 4 below).[/b]2. The rudeness of most European airline staff to Africans is serious enough to bother any human being with a conscience. Africans at European airports are simply ignored, snubbed and downrightly disrespected. In fact, a substantial number of African passengers feel frustrated when trying to ask European flight attendants and the staff any question concerning their connecting flights. Furthermore, the quality of food and refreshment offered in flights to and from African countries leaves a lot to be desired. For instance, food served to passengers leaving Europe for Africa are in much smaller portion than those served to passengers from North America to Europe. While drinks are served to the passengers (mostly Westerners) from North America to Europe in whole bottles and cans, passengers from Europe to Africa (mostly Africans) are served with small plastic cups; higher fares paid by Africans notwithstanding.

3. In violation of moral code, mosquito and other insect killing chemicals (well-known to be dangerously harmful to humans) are being sprayed in the passenger areas of these European airplanes right before leaving Africa for Europe. In fact, what is shocking to any human being with a conscience is that these hazardous chemicals are sprayed WHILE African passengers are seated in these flights. Virgin Atlantic and British Airways are the worst in this regard. Africans are human beings; they are not insects.

4. Any one traveling from North America to Africa via Europe will note that airplanes on the Trans-Atlantic route are much newer and with much legroom, while those leaving Europe for Africa are much older and crampy. Africans deserve similar newer planes with similar legroom as those flying to and from North America and Europe.

5. Overbooking of flights to and from Africa by European airlines is well known, especially flights returning from Africa. It is also well known that some Africans have been stranded due to the overbooking of flights. Stories of some Africans waiting for days to be rebooked are common. No doubt, those stranded Africans suffer not only apparent inconveniences, but in addition and most importantly, financial losses.

6. African passengers, more often than not, have been singled out by some European airline officials and treated as criminals. As such, Africans have been subjected to the most unwarranted and humiliating search at European airports. Alitalia and Lufthansa are the worst in this strip-search. Some Africans have been stripped almost naked in the process of being searched. While we recognize the need for tighter security at airports, it is a well-known fact that Africans have long been subjected to strip-search at Western airports. Strip-searching only Africans is a gross violation of their fundamental human rights. Africans, like any other group of human beings, deserve respect and dignity.

Painfully noting the above injustice, mistreatment and sheer disrespect of Africans by the European airline officials, and the regrettable fact that so many African governments are indifferent to the sufferings of their own people, we, the signatories to this petition call for immediate action to remedy these gross abuses of human rights. We believe that addressing these concerns will be beneficial not only to Africans, but to the airlines, as well as humanity in general.


http://www.liberateafrica.org/petition.html


Ndipe's comment: Interesting facts that the authors brought up, because I never realized that the distance between Houston to Nigeria was about the shorter than the trip from Houston to Beijin. But still, why must we look up to the west to 'remedy' this problem for us? Cant we start our own airlines and just boycott the western airlines instead of complaining and beating around the bush?

well, I'll check the airline information if possible, since I dont really know much about all this.

But I thought Koreans sometimes travelled to Korea via a stopover at Alaska. I checked Houston to Tokyo and the minimum fare I got was $1085 for a nonstop flight. Lagos was $1284 lowest fare.

the article was written a while back so maybe something happened since then. However, there've been quite a few complaints about the customer service on many of the airlines though. A lot of the problems may be related to Sept 11 and terrorism, not to mention drug trafficking.

Generally, things are more EXPENSIVE in Africa compare to other part of the world.

the worst air France, yesterday i went to air France office to buy a ticket for Nigeria they told me is 2000 euros .

elodie:

the worst air France, yesterday i went to air France office to buy a ticket for Nigeria they told me is 2000 euros .

when you buy ticket late, you have to pay more.

always plan your trip well in advance

landis
when you buy ticket late, you have to pay more.
corrections
i'm not going for xmas just to burial my late daddy this january .
i got the ticket at 1500 euros

thats normal, buying ticket less than 2month to travel is more expensive than buying about 4months ahead.

Air France is always expensive going to nigeria but, going to francophone countries is less price 700 euros .

so

elodie:

Air France is always expensive going to nigeria but, going to francophone countries is less price 700 euros .

if thats true, i would be flying to Cotonou;

Anyway, they are taking care of their ex-colonies meanwhile the BA/Virgin milking us. 

Cest la vie

why not fly to Cotonou and drive to Lagos or fly to Yaoude and drive to Calabar.

the 700Euro would make some family/friends happy :-)

la vie est belle .
no to risky my life am a mother .
just want a direct flight to Lagos .

yea africans are charged more

Total Bullshit.
The airfares are just about the same. I bet the seasons used for comparison were different.
It depends on when/where you buy your tickets.
I once paid for a flight on KLM that cost $950 from houston to lagos while someone on the same flight paid $1600
You also have to consider competition.
For one, the only direct flight from the states is Delta airlines right now. What do you expect?
Airlines always change when they get competition.
For instance, KLM and co have cancelled the unnecessary transit visas for Nigerians. Guess what, they really didn't have a choice since most Nigerians going to the U.S don't need their bullshit transit airport anymore. I'd rather fly directly than have to go through unnecessary transit chaos.

landis:

when you buy ticket late, you have to pay more.

always plan your trip well in advance

Not true, tickets are cheap circa three months before you travel as well as three days or less to the day you travel, they'd rather sell the seats for you at half-price at the last minute rather than fly empty

A-town:

Total Bullshit.
The airfares are just about the same. I bet the seasons used for comparison were different.
It depends on when/where you buy your tickets.
I once paid for a flight on KLM that cost $950 from houston to lagos while someone on the same flight paid $1600
You also have to consider competition.
For one, the only direct flight from the states is Delta airlines right now. What do you expect?
Airlines always change when they get competition.
For instance, KLM and co have cancelled the unnecessary transit visas for Nigerians. Guess what, they really didn't have a choice since most Nigerians going to the US don't need their bullshit transit airport anymore. I'd rather fly directly than have to go through unnecessary transit chaos.

It ain't bullshit, tickets from Uk to Lagos in low season costs £450 or thereabout, whilst tickets from UK to US costs circa £200, whilst tickets procured in high season  is around £1000 and £700 respectively, and the same is applicable to the OP's post, the charges are just unfair, plain and simple. 

If the airlines were ships that had to sail through the horns of Africa now, I would understand the need for higher insurance leading to higher fares, to protect against pirate attacks What risk do they face flying to Africa Oh well, cows on the runway comes to mind

With regards to people on the same flight paying different prices for ticket, that depends on when you buy the ticket and from whom. If you go to an agent, they work on commission so obviously would not sell you the cheapest ticket. I once have travelled on the same plane as my friend to the states, whilst she got her ticket 3 months earlier for £700 because it was the peak season (July), I paid only £300 for the same flight, because I booked just 2 days to departure, and boy was she mad

You are right about the competition though, can't fault that

Ndipe:


3. In violation of moral code, mosquito and other insect killing chemicals (well-known to be dangerously harmful to humans) are being sprayed in the passenger areas of these European airplanes right before leaving Africa for Europe. In fact, what is shocking to any human being with a conscience is that these hazardous chemicals are sprayed WHILE African passengers are seated in these flights. Virgin Atlantic and British Airways are the worst in this regard. Africans are human beings; they are not insects.

Heaven helps that airline thats sprays the aircraft after I have boarded They will have enormous cost of forced emergency landing, inconvenience to other passengers, disruptions to their other flights, fines and landing cost paid to host airport authority, compensation, amongst other things to contend with

Treetop20:

i swear that is unbelievable. I pray i never experience such a thing

Abi o, the shit Nigerians put up with is really unbelievable, and they try and justify it that we don't have our own national air carrier, as if they are not paying customers

3. In violation of moral code, mosquito and other insect killing chemicals (well-known to be dangerously harmful to humans) are being sprayed in the passenger areas of these European airplanes right before leaving Africa for Europe. In fact, what is shocking to any human being with a conscience is that these hazardous chemicals are sprayed WHILE African passengers are seated in these flights. Virgin Atlantic and British Airways are the worst in this regard. Africans are human beings; they are not insects.

to be honest, ive seen this happen on a flight from the UK to the US. It was American Airline.
ive never ever experienced seen this on a flight to or from africa.

Busy_body:


Not true, tickets are cheap circa three months before you travel as well as three days or less to the day you travel, they'd rather sell the seats for you at half-price at the last minute rather than fly empty

very wrong. tickets for 'same class' are cheaper when you buy in advance.

lastminute are more for 'tourist destinations' which Nigeria is not one.

lastminute are cheap because the HOTELS also needs to be occupied and in most cases own by EU/US.

For naija/africa bounds airline, you are going home; they dont care or needs to encourage you. You pay through your nose.

I once have travelled on the same plane as my friend to the states, whilst she got her ticket 3 months earlier for £700 because it was the peak season (July), I paid only £300 for the same flight, because I booked just 2 days to departure, and boy was she mad

season is not determined WHEN you buy your ticket but WHEN you actually plan to fly

And we are talking about ticket to/fro AFRICA destinations and not AFRICANS buying ticket from say 'Paris to Frankfurt'; you pay same like white.

@Topic

The fares are right. Traveling to the US from South East Asia//Korea,Japan/South West Pacific is lower compare to traveling from Africa to the US. Why this is so is because you travel[b] via the pacific[/b] when you are traveling from the South East Asia/Korea,Japan and the South West Pacific. You don't have to fly across cities compared to how many cities you will fly across if you are traveling from Africa to the US before you fly across the Atlantic. The Global Indicator is used to construct fares. The more city you fly across the higher your fare is.

You should also take not of the transfer points involved in your itinerary. Be it Stop-Overs or Transits.

landis:

very wrong. tickets for 'same class' are cheaper when you buy in advance.

. . . as well as when you buy the ticket at the last minute, so I was not wrong, but you were because you intoned that you could only get cheap flight if you buy in advance

FYI, buying a ticket more than 3 months before you travel, is actually disadvantageous, because the airlines have not had the chance to set the price they want to charge

landis:

lastminute are more for 'tourist destinations' which Nigeria is not one.

If I said "buy your ticket from lastminute" then maybe you would have had a point, but alas this is very very different from what I said, which was "buy your ticket at the last minute"

landis:

lastminute are cheap because the HOTELS also needs to be occupied and in most cases own by EU/US.

Once again where did you see lastminute.com in my post - which wasn't that long at all - so what exactly is the problem, you don't have to talk for talking sake you know

landis:

season is not determined WHEN you buy your ticket but WHEN you actually plan to fly

Moot point, why bring this up, I never broached the subject

landis:

And we are talking about ticket to/fro AFRICA destinations and not AFRICANS buying ticket from say 'Paris to Frankfurt'; you pay same like white.

Once again, and for want of beginning to sound like a broken record, where did I touch on Africans buying tickets to fly within Europe


_{I had you down as an intelligent open-minded fellow, due to your understanding of World Politics, with respect to your indepth grasp of the issue surrounding Mugabe and the West so seriously speaking, don't make me start to think that those monent of brilliance displayed in those logical argument of yours was just a flash-in-the-pan}

@busy_body,

I concur.

Bare with me, ups and downs, smiles and frowns.
Share with me, fairy tales i make the lead

One day i would travel. I just dream the day i will found myself in an aeroplane flying to the country of my dream. To God be the glory.

@ busybody

Happy New Year Sister! I see it's gonna be another ***busy*** year. No doubt 2009 is going to be even more fun DV, looking forward to all the craziness

landis:

@busy_body,

I concur.

Phew, now I can breath again Was holding my breath you see

By the way, why ain't you and Lucabrasi dealing with those two planks ^{Kobo and Bastage} in that thread, I don't blame you guys, I'd rather bang my head against a brick wall too

wwheelz:

@ busybody

Happy New Year Sister! I see it's going to be another ***busy*** year. No doubt 2009 is going to be even more fun DV, looking forward to all the craziness

Same to you babe, hope you had a wonderful Christmas too. I can't wait too, especially for Igwe's agenda But girl you harsh small o, the way you pulled him up on his upside down quotation was ^{ha i no fit shout}

This is true,

Imagine from Nigeria to Ghana, cost 400usd . 45 mins flight - TWO WAYS

compared to beijing - HK 400usd 3hrs 30 mins, flight - TWO WAYS

Why is this so? shiT!! those airlines are ripping us in Africa, BIG THEIFS! abi no be the same fuel them dey use fly!! funniest thing, dey tend to pay the staff so LOW in africa compared to the ones in abroad!!!

I tire, Y AFRICA?

@ busybody

No mind am jare, dey price moto l'oju dozen like milo in Oke-Arin market  As for igwe1, I just hope he has not outdone himself with the hype 

Lest I forget, the genie is having fun with its sex life "as perceived" keeping the secret in the lamp

faakay:

This is true,

Imagine from Nigeria to Ghana, cost 400usd . 45 mins flight - TWO WAYS

compared to beijing - HK 400usd 3hrs 30 mins, flight - TWO WAYS

Why is this so? shiT!! those airlines are ripping us in Africa, BIG THEIFS! abi no be the same fuel them dey use fly!! funniest thing, dey tend to pay the staff so LOW in africa compared to the ones in abroad!!!

I tire, Y AFRICA?

My guy, you are so wrong.
Have you forgotten about that word called "competition" or the words "demand and supply"
How many airlines ply the lagos - ghana route? For starters, the airlines are african airlines so you can say that we're ripping ourselves off.
How many people fly on this route? Is this a favourable destination? Correct me if am wrong but a lot of people would rather drive from lagos to ghana. I hear they even have airconditioned bus transportation for about 7000 -10, 000 naira. Do you expect airfare to be the same as ground transportation. 32,000 naira to ghana is fair enough and stop complaining.

How can you compare the route to HK - Beijing. What a lousy comparison. I bet the number of people on that route is 25 times higher than the lagos-ghana route.
If they have more passengers flying on a certain route, the prices are bound to reduce.