Poor Weather Forces Delta to Cancel Lagos-Atlanta Flight Twice

Chinedu Eze

About 500 passengers of Delta Airlines were stranded yesterday when the United States carrier cancelled its Lagos to Atlanta flight twice in the past 48 hours.

The passengers who arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos with the hope of flying out of the country could not contain their disappointment.

Delta Airlines operates four weekly flights to Lagos from its base in Atlanta, Georgia, while another three weekly flights is operated to Lagos from New York.

The first flight was cancelled last Monday after the airline waited for improved weather report, but the US indicated adverse weather that could be dangerous to flight safety.

This prompted the airline to cancel the flight.

A source close to the airline at the Lagos airport confirmed the flight cancellation, but said the airline’s management had already sent out notification to the affected passengers.

The airline source also noted that two flights, rather than one, are expected from U.S today to airlift the affected passengers who ought to have travelled last Monday.

The airport official explained that the first flight would arrive in Nigeria at 3:00 a.m. while the other would be expected at 2:35p.m. same day.

The two flights would then depart Nigeria at 11p.m. on Wednesday for Atlanta.

“The management of Delta Airlines already sent out weather and travel advices to the affected passengers. That is why you don’t have most of the passengers on ground at the Lagos airport.

“Delta has a standard, which it can’t compromise. It is not possible for it to airlift passengers in bad weather,” the airline said.