An engineer with Shell Petroleum Development Company, Chidi Adabanya, has sued Air France for N192million at the Federal High Court, Lagos, over alleged racial discrimination.
The plaintiff claimed the airline maltreated him on the basis of his being a Nigerian, which Air France denied.
Adabanya alleged the airline’s officials told him in Paris that he could not carry two pieces of luggage which he was entitled to because the provision was “not for Africans.”
He is, therefore, urging the court, presided by Justice Okon Abang, to order the defendant to pay him 1.5million Euros (about 192million) in damages.
He also prayed for a refund of 1,381 Euros (or its equivalent of N176, 768) which he paid to the defendant for purported excess luggage.
The asked for interest on the sum at the rate of 30 per cent per annum from May 30, 2003 till judgment is delivered.
Adabanya also wants Air France to bear the cost of the court action, and pay interest at 30 per cent on the damages when it is awarded; from the day judgment is delivered until the sum is fully paid.
The plaintiff said he bought an Air France ticket through an agent in Warri Delta State sometime in May 2003 for himself, his wife and two daughters to travel to Paris, France.
Their journey, he said, was routed as Lagos, Paris, London, Paris, Lagos.
According to him, it was stated in the ticket that he was entitled to two pieces of luggage between London to Paris and from Paris to Lagos.
The plaintiff said based on “standard practice on international routes”, each passenger was entitled to two pieces of luggage of not more than a total weight of 64 kilograms, each not to weigh more than 32 kilograms.
According to the plaintiff, he left his family in London and went to Paris via Air France flight AF1471, from where he would return to Lagos.
On his way to Lagos, he said he packed two pieces of luggage which did not exceed 32 kilograms, but when he got to the Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris on May 30, 2003, he was told that he had excess luggage. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Good move. Most of these airlines only want our money but dont want to see our faces. More of this from maltreated passengers - AJ
ReplyDeleteAir france has always treated Nigerians badly! Kudos to the fact that we don't have a government! let's hope the Judiciary will be patriotic enough to do the right thing!
ReplyDeleteIf d case is well address dis issue of air line will know dat everty is not money
ReplyDelete