There's this story making the waves on twitter, reason for this thread. .

His story below:

I boarded this Arik Air flight from Abuja to Lagos 16th June, 2012 to connect an international flight. The flight scheduled to depart at 14:25 eventually left just around 15:00, which is a relatively good time considering the fact that delays of over 6 hours are the norm these days.

First off, we couldn’t find where to sit as the cabin crew informed us that it was ‘free sitting.’ I wondered why the order guaranteed with seat allocation was discarded for the chaos of “free sitting.” Most of the passengers were not pleased. During the flight, I read a book and discussed an article I was working on with my friend Azeenarh. She encouraged me to get started with the article already.

At this point I picked up my ipad to write, trying to imagine what happened in the last minutes of the Dana Crash. I had done some 500 words when the pilot announced that we were almost landing and all the routine of sitting upright, putting out electronic equipment meant that I had to stop using the ipad. I put the ipad in the seat pocket right in front of me.

On arrival in Lagos, I helped Azeenarh with her bag which was under the seat in front of her, while others in the usual style rushed to go out. We took our time and eventually alighted from the aircraft. When we got to Allen Avenue, I realised I had left my Ipad in the aircraft. We quickly dashed to the airport and we were fortunate to find out that the aircraft that brought us was still on ground.

We finally met one Lanre who was in charge of complaints as mine – “Lost and Found” is what they call it. “Lost and Gone” would be more apt based on my experience. His friend asked him in Yoruba if he had seen anything and he mumbled something which I didn’t hear. I didn’t like the fact that they were even speaking Yoruba in mumbled voices at this time and I told Azeenarh the comportment of the staff best compares with that of Lagos motor parks.

Lanre went and came back and said “they saw the ipad and put it inside your bag.” Of course that could not have happened. How could you have put an Ipad in my bag when the ipad was not tagged? How did you know which bag to put it in? While we were arguing about this, he left to attend to other passengers who had even more interesting complaints.

Mary Chen as stated earlier had travelled from Lagos to Abuja (Flight W3 155, 11:45 June 12, 2012) to lodge a complaint. She found out that her jewelleries (gold trinkets INCLUDING her wedding ring) inside her jewelry box had been stolen. She had checked this box in and it was obvious someone had found a way to open the bag, steal her jewelleries and left the bag as if nothing had happened. There were other people with complaints of theft as Mary noted when she made her complaint the first time.

Asked about making a report, the Arik Air staff with phone number 08077791490 (the official number for complaints such as mine and Mary’s) said there was no form to fill, there was no superior to talk to, and that just verbally telling him was enough. Essentially there was nothing to document the complaints.

Why should someone who made a report a week after he had lost something just as valuable as my ipad, have his lost good returned to him within minutes of asking and I who made my report within 90 minutes of forgetting my ipad has to force Arik Air to do the needful? Lanre said they found the ipad and put it in my bag; that established the fact that the ipad was at least found. Emirates found the camera and kept it in place for the owner who claimed it on his return journey a week after.

Arik Air found my ipad and claimed they had put it in my bag. The difference is why you can check in your luggage on Emirates airline and connect flights around the world and be sure they can be trusted to take care of even your lost good. With the other, your luggage is in danger on even a flight as short as Lagos – Abuja, even in a locked box like Mary’s.

I will be posting more reports on thefts such as this for now and would give special preference to Arik Air stolen goods reports.

PS: I was at the Arik Air Lagos local airport office yesterday. The crass man who now manages “Lost and Found” could not stop shouting at Azeenarh as I had left when he said they did not have my ipad. He boasted to her that if he had known I was the Japheth Omojuwa that was tweeting, he’d have asked to have me arrested. He never stopped shouting at Azeenarh.

Whatever I did about this issue until now is nothing compared to what I will do in the coming days. Until I have my ipad returned, arikwhereismyipad@gmail.com is where I will be collecting reports of passengers pissed off with Arik Air. I will publish EVERYTHING. I am waiting for that arrest. Until then, they must enjoy their twitter trends for all the wrong reasons for now. It is the least I could do for a tool that served me well for fun, business and everything in-between. My online presence has drastically reduced; it has financial implications in itself. Now, Arik Air must pay too!

The hashtag on twitter is #ArikAirWhereIsMyIpad

http://omojuwa.com/2012/nigeria-aviation-report-why-you-should-never-ever-trust-arik-air-with-your-luggage


Whaddyu guys think? Have you had your item(s) stolen before while flying Arik Air? Your Opinions pls

It could happen to any of the airline.

wisdomolusola: It could happen to any of the airline.

why should it??...its because when such things happen nobody talks...Typical Nigerian...Suffering and Smilling...

Wow, This is almost unbelievable. I would like to see a law suit that would make arik pay through their nose to compensate this guy for the stress and embarassment they've put him through. Maybe then they would stiffen thier luggage security up, fools.

#ArikAirWhereIsMyIpad

maybe this'll do!

As much as i know with Arik,luggage management is zero.They allow touts to handle them and items are stolen from your check-in luggage. My wife had a terrible experience with them sometime ago and after then the strategy we now adopt is "remove all valuables from your planned check-in luggage"

This is a question of integrity amongst Nigerians and humans in general..

My story isnt about Arik or Airlines but about Silverbird Cinema (Port-Harcourt)..
The Cinema attendants have found a new way to enrich themselves off of other peoples misplaced properties.. I guess its a case of 'Finders Keepers, loosers weepers'.. Well heres how my experience goes..

My fiance and I went to see the Avengers movie and actually enjoyed the movie.. After the movie, we normally like to stay back and play a little kissy-smoochie.. Anyways, while we were sitted there, the hall had emptied out and the credits were still rolling.. Next thing we saw were two guys armed with torchlights run into the hall.. (remember that the lights were still out in the hall) and started a row by row sweep for valuables that may have been left behind by Cinema goers.. Immediately I saw this, I tapped my partner and we sat still until there sweep got to where we were sitted. Now the way they were in a hurry to do the sweep showed that they were intent on keeping their finds as it appeared like a race of 'first find, first keep'.. Anyways, when they saw us, they were shocked... So we made our way out of the cinema and into the general hall.. Just before we left, I decided to buy some chocolates from the popcorn stand.. While there I placed my Blackberry phone on the counter to fetch my wallet from my pocket.. I paid, walked out and went straight into my car.. I had started my engines and needed my phone to play some music when I realized that I had left it on the counter were I bought the popcorn.. IMMEDIATELY, I made a run for it back into the cinema. As i approached the counter, I had already spotted my phone still there.. NEXT THING, I saw this attendant (in Silverbird uniform) walk briskly past my eye line with my phone and my phone disappeared from the counter... I was like DARN!!!!!!!! That was hoodini style movement.. He didnt even miss a beat or hesitate.. SO I slowed down and followed him.. As soon as I saw him heading for the toilet, I called him and said he should please give me my phone.. The shocking part was that he denied having it.. I just pulled out my other phone and dialled the number and it rang in his pocket.. He just handed it to me with a half-baked apology and walked away..

My dear its not necessarilly Arik, but could also be the employees of the company that handles the cleaning of the aircraft.. Although, my wallet got missing on an Arik flight from Lagos.. I noticed it was missing when I got home, called them, got refered to another number and was told that nothing like that was reported as lost & found.. There was no money inside of it, but it had my work I.ds (which is a b'itch to replace), my ATM card about 1500 Naira inside and some random papers. What pissed me off was it was a 400 dollar Mont Blanc wallet, but I doubt whoever took it knew that..


My advice to travellers is always to carry a small sling bag where they can throw in all their small stuff... and put away large items inside your overhead luggage

Linda Ikeji reported a while back that there was a cabal stealing people's valuables on Arik air, so this topic doesn't come as a surprise to me.

My hubby Mysteriously lost some money,about 200k when he boarded this same plane some years ago.

Arik air wants to fall their hand now oo.....

Omojuwa is always looking for handouts ---

sauer: maybe this'll do!

Isn't it ironic/funny that there is an Arik Air advert banner on his site?

wisdomolusola: It could happen to any of the airline.

Funny but a fellow passenger could have also taken ur ipad. Arik may not pay their workers like oil companies do but believe when I say most people working there are quite comfortable, so I doubt they would resort to stealing ur ipad. I don´t work with Arik but I happen to know a some people working there.

Also, I do remember one incident like that. I flew in on a connect flight from Nigeria 2 Amterdam. I sat at the aisle. There was this very loud guy who sat with his babe or wife across the aisle to my left. When we landed, she flamboyantly forgot her small pursue which was full of some Gold Necklaces. I saw it and asked the people close who owned it but no one remembered. So most of us moved on2 the line only 4 me 2 unfortunatedly notice a movement from the corner of my eyes. I looked and saw one guy way behind us quitely and quickly pocket the pursue. I looked at the guy from where I was infront and moved on. Anyway, we passed the couple on our way out cos we saw them speaking to one of the airline staff about going back to pick something they 4got but were refused access to the plane. Funny the guy I noticed that took the pursue didn´t step forward. I believe he passed them too.

I like this .... If corporate organisations think they can treat us like shits after extorting money from us, I think we should also batter their image. Enough is enough. How I wish we can take MTN up too.

drnoel:

Funny but a fellow passenger could have also taken ur ipad. Arik may not pay their workers like oil companies do but believe when I say most people working there are quite comfortable, so I doubt they would resort to stealing ur ipad. I don´t work with Arik but I happen to know a some people working there.

Also, I do remember one incident like that. I flew in on a connect flight from Nigeria 2 Amterdam. I sat at the aisle. There was this very loud guy who sat with his babe or wife across the aisle to my left. When we landed, she flamboyantly forgot her small pursue which was full of some Gold Necklaces. I saw it and asked the people close who owned it but no one remembered. So most of us moved on2 the line only 4 me 2 unfortunatedly notice a movement from the corner of my eyes. I looked and saw one guy way behind us quitely and quickly pocket the pursue. I looked at the guy from where I was infront and moved on. Anyway, we passed the couple on our way out cos we saw them speaking to one of the airline staff about going back to pick something they 4got but were refused access to the plane. Funny the guy I noticed that took the pursue didn´t step forward. I believe he passed them too.

Gracious God, u saw d guy dt picked d purse yet u dint voice out and its people like u that will first castigate security agencies dt dey cnt contain crime. Wen dey say all dese criminals live amongst us n dt we should be vigilant n report any suspicion to security agencies, this is wt dey r talking bout. As fr as m concerned u indirectly aided theft in dt case.

It is in thing naija now, d entire nigerians are virtually corrupt.
Previous morning of Saturday b4 d last, we had an accident in PH at st johns along Aba road.
one of d persons dat came to rescue us, made away with my phone. Even when i was pointing, helplessly to d phone.
Dis is d situation we've seen ourselves, sometimes i just dont knw wat 2 think.
We're seriously in deep shit, in dis country.

Yes I have had items stolen from an Arik flight from Kaduna to Lagos

My bro left JFK on arik. He got to nigeria and realized some of his stuff were missing but shrugged thinking d guy who packed his stuff left them behind...

I have a personal experience. In 2009 i flew Arik air from lagos to Warri,
somehow i forgot i had a pair of scissors in my hand luggage which was spotted during scan.
The attendant requested i drop it before i can board. This wasn't a big deal but I first had to almost empty my bag just to locate the scissors during which process i place certain items including my samsung camera on the desk. I foolishly let the dude assist me in getting my items back in my bag. That was the last time i saw the camera. It took me till last year to resume flying with Arik as i was seriously pissed.
Funny enof while typing this reply, my boss narrated his own experience on how his pouch containing valuables and ID cards was lost when he flew Arik from Portharcourt to Abuja and all efforts to locate the items proved a abortive.

No time to read, sorry..too long

With this loads of complaint of theft in Arik flight it is already established that there is a cabal that is specialized in stealing pples personal effect in the Airline. Nigeria nor dey carry last.

wel, i av my own experience to share with u guys as wel.... I left toronto(canada) via klm airline, with vital documents and 5000 canadian dollar in my wallet all packed in my school bag, coming home to spend the summer break with my lovely parents and friends who were all eager to see me... So we had a stop over at osaka int'l airport , Amsterdam.. From there we were supposed to connect to my mother's land, but our flight was delayed for 2 hours... So we had no choice than to hang around .. So, i met this pretty lady who introduced herself as belinda, she was coming all the way from new york, so we started chatting... Mehn! It was fun, she was just natural the way she spoke, her look ,so i was moved.. In fact, the way we were talking was like we new each other somewhere, somehow, before.... So after about an hour of conversing , I excused myself to use the toilet with my bag in her care, since i believed we were going home together, so it wasnt hard for me to hand over my bag to her.. I came back and she handed it back over to me... So we checked in for our next flight.. My seat was far away from linda's seat, so there was no waty we could continue chatting.. I was so bored throughout the following 6 hours... We arrived safely and you know now, was so excited to meet my parents... I checked out and saw belinda running to meet her mum... I didnt want to let go off her that way, so i walked up to her and collected her cell phone no, both that of U.S and Nigeria and left her with her mum, while i left with my family.. When i got home, i unpacked my luggage and gave out the items i bought... Everybody was happy to see me.. A very happy day later turnd out to be a sad and an unforgetable one indeed, was when i checked my wallet and my 5000 dollar was nowhere to be found, it looked like film trick... I began to ask everbody at home and nobody claimed to have taken it.. My dad and I ran back to the airport, requested for emergency search... We were dere for the next 2 hours when i decided to call belinda to ask her if she saw my wallet... The next thing i heard is 'the number you are trying to call does not exist' ... Frnds! Til today, cant find my 5000 dollar and cannot reach belinda. My holiday turned out 2 be a rili sad one..I had to cut my break from a month down to 2 weeks. Tank God for my dad..Was it my fault to entrust my bag wit belinda?

I know someone whose laptop was removed from her checked-in luggage, on Arik flight from Lagos to London. When she complained, Arik said she was not supposed to put valuables in check-in luggage.

Billyonaire: No time to read, sorry..too long

but u 've got tym to post a reply!
must u read all?
just lukin @ d topic;u could as well just say yes or b amongst d passersby!

Reading through the posts made me smile, truth be told Nigeria is full of bad people with a get rich quick syndrome by any and all means so you all be on the lookout. As for the Belinda guy, you forgot one of the golden rules, never talk to strangers or entrust your pearls to the pigs.

please,i bought a flight ticket of almost 95k on arik airline but as a result of unforeseen contingency,i cancelled the ticket that same day.I want to go for a refund at their headquatre in ikeja tomorrow.Please,i want to know the procedures for a refund of payment made on a ticket or has their negligence and ineptitude metamorphosed into a patent and clear stealing?Please give me some reply peeps

I had a bad experience with Arik Airline in February and still haven't received a response.... As a international traveler and U.S. citizen they have the worst customer service program ever !!.. Thanks arikwhereismyipad@gmail.com.. I will forward my complaint to you also...

Spirit of Okija:

My fiance and I went to see the Avengers movie and actually enjoyed the movie.. After the movie, we normally like to stay back and play a little kissy-smoochie.. Anyways, while we were sitted there, the hall had emptied out and the credits were still rolling.. Next thing we saw were two guys armed with torchlights run into the hall.. (remember that the lights were still out in the hall) and started a row by row sweep for valuables that may have been left behind by Cinema goers.. Immediately I saw this, I tapped my partner and we sat still until there sweep got to where we were sitted. Now the way they were in a hurry to do the sweep showed that they were intent on keeping their finds as it appeared like a race of 'first find, first keep'.. Anyways, when they saw us, they were shocked... So we made our way out of the cinema and into the general hall.. Just before we left, I decided to buy some chocolates from the popcorn stand.. While there I placed my Blackberry phone on the counter to fetch my wallet from my pocket.. I paid, walked out and went straight into my car.. I had started my engines and needed my phone to play some music when I realized that I had left it on the counter were I bought the popcorn.. IMMEDIATELY, I made a run for it back into the cinema. As i approached the counter, I had already spotted my phone still there.. NEXT THING, I saw this attendant (in Silverbird uniform) walk briskly past my eye line with my phone and my phone disappeared from the counter... I was like DARN!!!!!!!! That was hoodini style movement.. He didnt even miss a beat or hesitate.. SO I slowed down and followed him.. As soon as I saw him heading for the toilet, I called him and said he should please give me my phone.. The shocking part was that he denied having it.. I just pulled out my other phone and dialled the number and it rang in his pocket.. He just handed it to me with a half-baked apology and walked away..

O Lord!! I will punch the Id.iot. With all the anger in me. You can't imagine the way I feel now after reading your story. It's just too bad.

steph7: Linda Ikeji reported a while back that there was a cabal stealing people's valuables on Arik air, so this topic doesn't come as a surprise to me.

that word is familiar. Nigerian phenomenon

Aha, thank God my stuff did not go missing but many got their suitcases opened and items stolen from them. Even those with padlocks. This guy was so furious, lol, he had his brand new phones stolen(probably for work or family member).

What scared me was how the plane was shaking due to turbulance. It was mere turbulance you experience here and there but literally having the plane shake vigorously. Jesus, I have never prayed as I did during that journey. One of the scariest moments of my life.

Arik should simply call this guy for a meeting and listen to him. There are some issues that are worth looking into to improve their operations and win over an irate customer.