Aero Contractors has aggravated a grieving family’s agony after abandoning the body of their loved one at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, despite completing payments and meeting all the required paperworks.

The flight departed Lagos for Kano at 7:45am on Sunday with the eight bereaved family members and other passengers on board, without knowing that the body of their loved one was left at the airport.

The family was thrown into confusion as the airline failed to draw their attention to the issue until their arrival at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

Narraving how the incident happened, an uncle to the deceased, Abubakar Jimeta, said the airline was discourteous for refusing to notify them.

According to him, hundreds of mourners as well as an ambulance were waiting to convey the body for burial scheduled at 10:30am, but the airline’s alleged shoddy handling bungled all their arrangements for timely Islamic burial.

“In a world where compassion and service are paramount, my recent experience with Aero Contractors, an airline operating in Nigeria, stands out as a stark reminder of how things can go tragically wrong, especially during moments of profound grief.

“The loss of my nephew was a devastating blow to our family. After he passed away at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, we were faced with the heart-wrenching task of transporting his body back to Kano for burial. It was an emotional time, compounded by the logistical challenges of arranging a flight in a country where airfares have skyrocketed. As we reached out to Aero Contractors, we discovered there were only eight seats available for our required flight: six in business class and two in economy. With limited options and the urgency of our situation, we opted for these seats.

“We enlisted the help of an Aero agent, Ehi Multi System Nigeria Limited, to assist us in the process of flying the body of my nephew alongside us. After completing the necessary paperwork and documentation, we paid a total of about N700,000, which included the costs for the six business class and two economy class tickets, along with the arrangements for transporting my nephew’s body.

“The agent insisted we arrive at the airport by 4 AM to ensure a smooth check-in. We complied, arriving on time and waiting anxiously for the agent to show up. When he finally arrived, we hurriedly went through the process, believing everything was in order. I asked repeatedly if everything was set for our flight, and I was assured that it was. With that confirmation, we made our way from the cargo terminal to the domestic terminal, feeling a sense of relief as we prepared to board.

“However, our relief was short-lived. After a lengthy wait, our flight didn’t take off until 7:45 AM. Upon landing in Kano, we were met with a horrifying reality: Aero Contractors had left my nephew’s body in Lagos. In a moment that should have been one of solace and closure, we were met with confusion and disbelief. An ambulance was waiting for us on the ground, ready to transport my nephew, but there was nothing to transport.

“The pain, stress, and suffering that this airline has caused my family are unimaginable. It was a moment that should have been handled with the utmost care and sensitivity, yet it was marred by negligence and a disturbing lack of communication. The insensitivity displayed by Aero Contractors in this situation is staggering.

“We are left with questions that linger painfully in our minds: How could this happen? What went wrong in the process? Why was there no explanation given to us about the oversight? In moments of loss, families seek support and empathy, yet what we faced was a cold disregard for our suffering.

“This experience serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of customer service and accountability in the airline industry, especially during moments of grief. No family should have to endure the additional agony of such an encounter during one of the most difficult times of their lives.

“As we navigate our grief, we hope for accountability and improved processes from Aero Contractors to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future. Our thoughts remain with our beloved nephew, whose journey was interrupted by a failure that should never have happened,” Mr Jimeta said.

When contacted, the director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Michael Achimugu, confirmed the incident.

He blamed Aero Contractors for failing to disclose to the passenger the delay in the movement of the corpse.

He, however, said the corpse was on its way to Kano at the time he was speaking to our correspondent.

“It didn’t make Aero, they departed via Arik, which had either landed or about to land. There was a communication problem between Aero and the passenger.

“Aero ought to have communicated to the passenger about the slight delay in the movement, but they didn’t do that. However, the corpse is en route to Kano via Arik Air”, Mr Achimugu said.