Three passengers of TAP Portugal Air, have revealed that they were physically assaulted by officials at the Kotoka Airport after refusing to de-board an overbooked flight 

According to the passengers, they were singled out to give up their spots on the flight which was overbooked despite having secured their tickets five months ahead.

The three had arrived at the airport on schedule with plans of travelling to Sao Tome and Principe.

Arguing out their case, Ekua Semuah-Odoom who was with her sister and friend claimed that she had purchased her ticket on July 14, 2017 only to be told to give up her spot at the boarding gate for departure.

She narrated that when she got to the Airport, and went through the departure formalities to board her flight, a TAP official said they would have to be de-boarded because of overbooking.

“I told her [the official] no, I can’t accept that because as far as I am concerned, when it comes to overbooking, you have to call out to the passengers and ask for volunteers. You can’t single out people. Even when it comes to that level, you give priority because we bought our tickets about five months ago.”

But when the flight called for boarding, Ekua, her sister and her friend, were not allowed onto the flight.

“Just as I was trying to enter, one of the security guys just shoved me against the glass door then when I turned, my sister and friend were also trying to capture what was happening.  What I realized was that, one the guys held my friend in the neck and pushed her into a metal chair. They were just shoving my sister and hitting them. They actually assaulted us,” she recounted.

While all this was going on, Ekua also said the TAP officials were present, but turned deaf ears to the bias activity which was ongoing.

They have lodged a complaint with the police, and have also spoken to their legal counsel who “are going to take it up from there,” Ekua added.


 

By Musah Abelyire/ghanaguardian.com