A United Nigeria Airlines flight destined for Abuja on Saturday has landed in Asaba, the capital of Delta state.
Passengers said they only realised the mistake after the cabin crew announced “Welcome to Abuja” when they landed in Asaba.
“We departed Lagos about an hour ago on Fly United to Abuja and upon arrival, the cabin crew confidently announced that we have arrived in Abuja only for us to realise that we landed in Asaba,” Salihu Yakasai, the Kano governorship candidate of Peoples’ Redemption Party in the 2023 election, wrote on his X page.
After about half an hour on the tarmac, the plane was redirected to Abuja. This was after the pilot announced that the “honest mistake” was caused by a mix-up in the flight plan given to him.
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“People were thinking that there’s something we were not being told. Until the pilot announced to us that he received a wrong flight plan, that’s when calmness was restored,” a passenger on the flight told TheCable.
But in its defence few hours after the incident, United Nigeria Airlines claimed the flight was diverted to Asaba as a result of bad weather.
Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, the airline spokesperson, said the pilot was properly briefed about the diversion, noting that the cabin crew made “wrong announcement upon landing safely in Asaba [and] created confusion among the passengers.”
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“A united Nigeria Airlines flight, NUA 0504, operating from the MM2 in Lagos enroute Abuja on Sunday, November 26, 2023, was temporarily diverted to the Asaba International Airport due to poor destination weather,” the statement reads.
“At all material time, the Pilot of the aircraft was aware of the temporary diversion and was properly briefed. However, a wrong announcement was made by cabin crew upon landing safely in Asaba creating confusion among the passengers.”
Some X users also reacted to the development.
Pilot miss road, carry us go Asaba instead of Abuja. Wonderful times.
Advertisement— ORIADE 👑 (@Tesidorth) November 26, 2023
Imagine departing Lagos to Abuja for an important appointment that could turn your life around for good, only to find yourself in Asaba because of an Airline’s incompetence.
Time wasted. Appointment missed.
Advertisement— Slimfit (@iSlimfit) November 26, 2023
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Asaba, Abuja all na Nigeria you dey. Thank God say no be cotonou dem carry una go 🤣🤣🤣🤣
— Isah Musa Mohammed (@Mansaah_Musa) November 26, 2023
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He just stopped so you guys can buy suya and other things before continuing 😂
Advertisement— Dee (@Nithsmit) November 26, 2023
Asaba Abuja, they almost got it right.
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) November 26, 2023
This bad, really bad, dangerous even. But what is even worse is that it is likely that nobody will be held accountable.
— Garba Deen Muhammad (@garba_deen) November 26, 2023
So a flight originally billed for Abuja accidentally lands in Asaba
And a flight crew member even announced ‘welcome to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja'
Inside Asaba oo
Nigeria is a comedy scene! 😂
— Pearls (@MissPearls) November 26, 2023
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