Travelling within Africa – a journalist’s bitter experience

My personal experience on my way to Douala in Cameroon was saddening. It makes you wonder whether airline officials in Africa are up to the task.

Checking in at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra was like exchanging my freedom for slavery. I was initially informed of a mishap on my ticket. In the company of Oil, Gas and Mining journalists on a field trip to Douala a, I was greeted with a misfortune on my ticket which started my ordeal. I was issued a ticket that stated that, I was to travel from Accra to Lagos, though my return was from Douala through Lagos to Accra.

Upon reaching Lagos on board Air Nigeria after a long delay, I got a ticket to Cotonou to catch another flight to Douala. Due to the situation I went to check where my luggage was. One Air Nigeria steward by name Adekoya told me, my luggage would accompany me to Cotonou. When the plane landed at Cotonou, I decided not to disembark. So I was cleared by the steward to fly to Douala. After sometime, while waiting for aviation clearance, I felt I should get down from the plane and check whether my luggage was on board. This is where all my troubles began. The steward, who had earlier cleared me, took my ticket again and suddenly realised that my ticket had Cotonou as my destination. No amount of words could convince her. After a long heated discussion that lasted for about 15 minutes, I had to disembark.

Alternative arrangement was quickly made for me to board ASKY Airline by the organisers of the field trip. I was given some extra money for emergencies. The ticket reference number was sent to me via my phone from Accra. Though I had an ASKY Airline ticket reference number I was refused boarding because it was too late. At this time Air Nigeria had gone and ASKY aircraft was about to take off.

With disappointment written all over my face, I left the tarmac to look for my luggage only to be told that, my luggage was not in Douala. This is double trouble indeed. I went through immigration formalities and had my passport stamped but not until I had parted with GH¢17 to the immigration officer on duty.

I entered Cotonou and made a formal complaint to Air Nigeria about my missing luggage. I went from one airline office to the other looking to buy a ticket to Douala. The earliest flight to Douala was supposed to be on Friday, which is a day after I am expected in Douala. At this point I almost gave up. Deciding whether to travel by road to Douala, Accra, Lagos or Lome to catch a flight to Douala kept rushing through my mind.

Stepping out of the last airline office (ASKY), I met one of the errand boys on the corridor at the airport, who turned out to be my ‘angel’. He speaks appreciable English. After narrating my situation to him, he asked me to follow him. He took me to a Travel and Tour Agency, Express Voyages and Services (EVAS). There I met a lady attending to two customers. After attending to them (customers) I narrated my ordeal to her. Communication was a big issue because Adjoa, the Ticket and Reservation Officer could only manage to speak with some limited English. The errand boy was on hand to assist me once again as an interpreter. I could not even find time to ask of his name. What a shame. I guess my issues got the better part of my reflections.

All this while, I was in constant touch with my colleagues in Accra. I was asked to call a journalist in Benin for assistance. The Benin journalist at the time was about three hours drive away from the airport.

Adjoa managed to get me a ticket on board Toumai Air Tchad flight the following day, December 15, 2011 only on condition that, I would be at the airport by 8:00 am sharp for a boarding pass and also pay a higher fee. I agreed to the conditionality.

After I got my ticket at a fee higher than the usual fee and sorting out my ‘angel’ errand boy, I set out to meet the Benninois journalist after receiving directions from him via phone conversation. I finally met Gerald after about an hour later. He took me to the nearest internet cafe where I was to print my Visa because the group Visa was with my colleagues who had gone ahead of me. I was successful but soon Gerald had to leave for a meeting. That was all I saw of Gerald.

I checked in a hotel at Teranga, a town near the Cotonou airport.

December 15 by 7:30 am I was at the airport. I really did not enjoy my sleep. Thoughts of missing my flight hounded me throughout the night.

As at 7:30 am Adjoa’s office was closed. She had not reported yet and would not pick her calls. I was getting jittery. Finally she picked her call at about 8:35 am. She assured me that, she was on her way to the office. She arrived later at about 9:15 am. To get my boarding pass became another issue.

Her boss would not agree to drop somebody and make way for my travel. “Wahala dey o o o”, I said. Meaning there is so much trouble in this world. At this time I started praying silently to my God for a miracle. Finally her boss agreed after paying an additional fine. I had no option but to pay extra $65.00. I got my boarding pass at about 11:00 am and beaming with smiles I was rushed through the immigration formalities with the assistance of Adjoa’s friend. Finally I boarded the Toumai Air Tchad aircraft to Douala. The flight left at about 11:32am. I was met on arrival at the Douala International Airport by Nico, the Chaffeur of Centre Pour L’environnement Et Le Developpement, who was sent to pick me up.

Centre Pour L’environnement Et Le Developpement is an environmental Civil Society Organisation that hosted us in Cameroon.

I received a rousing welcome from my colleagues who had been supportive throughout my “wahala” by calling to find out the latest development concerning my flight and other issues.

I arrived in Douala, only to be told by Air Nigeria office that, my luggage was in Lagos. For the five days that I spent in Cameroun, my luggage waited patiently for me at Lagos. I had to buy some few items to take care of my self.

What an experience! Travelling within Africa is difficult than from Africa to Europe.

“Travelling within Africa is burdensome, hectic, and almost impossible for most Africans, and that in itself has contributed to a large extent to the lack of knowledge among Africans of each other’s culture and general worldview,” writes Emmanuel K. Dogebvi, the Managing Online Editor of ghanabusinessnews.com.

Air transport is a major contributor to the global economy. It transports over 2.2 billion passengers annually and is a major global employer creating a total of 32 million jobs – through direct, indirect, induced and catalytic impacts.

According to the 2008 IATA report, there are about 2,000 airlines around the world operating a total fleet of 23,000 aircraft in 3,750 airports through a route network of several million kilometres managed by around 160 air navigation service providers.

“We are a great industry capable of innovation and change. I am confident in our future: safe, secure, efficient and environmentally-responsible. For the benefit of our global society”, Giovanni Bisignani, Director General & CEO, IATA has said.

The air transport industry generates around 430,000 jobs in Africa and contributes more than
$9.2 billion to Africa’s GDP direct, indirect and induced impacts.

But in spite of this, the air transport market in sub-Saharan Africa is stagnating, with the vacuum created by the collapse of Cote d’Ivoire’s airline sector and the demise of several regional airlines, including Air Afrique leave a huge unfilled gap.

By Pascal Kelvin Kudiabor