Malawian Airlines has pushed the blame on well-known gospel singer Wendy Favour Harawa after missing her flight due to communication break-down on Thursday at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA).
On Thursday, the singer is said to have booked a flight slatted to leave KIA at 10:30 and she arrived there before 8am but the flight delayed up to 7pm, forcing Harawa to return home.
But the plane departed KIA at around 15:30, leaving her behind.
Out of anger Harawa described the Malawian Airlines as the worst in Africa.
“I am a very Patriotic person, But am sad to call Malawian airlines the worst airline I have ever come across in Africa.. they let us leave our homes at around 7 a.m get to the airport without sending us emails or messages to update us of flight delay, only to tell us the 10:30 scheduled flight will leave at 4:30 pm, on check in they tell me the flight time has now been updated to 19:30, in the evening, I asked the handler will this flight make it coz am on air at 8 a.m tomorrow he tells me yes in the evening and asked if they have my number incase of anything said yes.
“I go home to rest. Only for them to call me a few minutes ago at 15:22 which is 3 minutes after 3 o’clock to ask me where are you we are about to close the doors of the flight it came earlier, I answered am home why dint you call, lemme come quickly, my home is 15 to 20 minutes drive, she says no we can’t wait for you and drops my call as I expressed my anger. Am hurt and angry at my time wasted and costs incurred.. Malawian airlines you can do better, it was your mandate and duty to get intouch with us or our agents,” wrote Harawa.
Reacting to the claims, Malawi Airlines in the statement has blamed Harawa for leaving the airport.
“All passengers booked for this flight were duly informed at check-in counters of the delay by our contracted ground handlers of the new planned operating times (but with caution of an early departure than the planned new flight timings). After check-in, when flight delays as per industry practice, passengers are discouraged from leaving the airport terminal just in case the aircraft becomes serviceable more quickly than expected.
“During flight boarding and a headcount, it was found that all checked-in passengers were on-board except one passenger Ms. Wendy Harawa was missing on board,” reads in part the statement.
Added the statement: “A quick check (with a call) on the passenger by our ground handlers/Malawi Airlines staff, found that the dear client was home in town and not at the airport terminal. Due to the time limitations, for someone to drive from Lilongwe town to Kamuzu International Airport, the airline decided to offload the passenger as any further delay would have meant misconnecting all other clients who had further flight connections out Harare and Lusaka and worse still further delay would have put the flight crew to be out of their regulated operating hours thereby totally canceling the rescheduled flights.”
