Dana AIr and two of its passengers are in disagreement over the circumstances that led to the falling off of one of its emergency exit doors at the end of a Lagos-Abuja flight on Wednesday.
A Twitter user, Ola Brown, had narrated how the plane’s exit door shook all through the flight and fell off immediately the plane touched down.
However, the airline said a passenger must have tampered with the exit door of the plane, causing it to fall off while landing on Tuesday.
“Flew Dana. Exit door was unstable throughout the flight. As we touched down it fell off. Scary stuff,” Brown tweeted.
“I was closer to the front so when I heard the sound, thought it was an explosion. Couldn’t quite comprehend that it had just fallen off.”
Flew Dana. Exit door was unstable throughout the flight. As we touched down it fell off. Scary stuff. pic.twitter.com/eDtTlNi2TZ
— Ola Brown(Orekunrin) (@NaijaFlyingDr) February 7, 2018
I was closer to the front so when I heard the sound thought it was an explosion. Couldn’t quite comprehend that it had just fallen off….????
— Ola Brown(Orekunrin) (@NaijaFlyingDr) February 7, 2018
Another passenger of the flight, replying to Brown’s tweet, wrote: “Abeg If there is a class action lawsuit against Dana for gross negligence and endangering the lives of passengers. I want in, I also was on that flight:25d : The Door Panel was loose indicative of lack of maintenance.
“It was really terrible. It was like traveling with a molue in the early 90s. Dana Air needs to carry out a comprehensive audit of her fleet and the maintenance status. If that hatch had opened mid air. We’d have lost cabin pressure, oxygen and surely have gone down.”
Abeg
If there is a class action lawsuit against Dana for gross negligence and endangering the lives of passengers. I want in, I also was on that flight : 25d : The Door Panel was loose indicative of lack of maintenance. pic.twitter.com/TzDWnGboGJ
— DapoSanwo (@DapoSanwo) February 7, 2018
It was really terrible. It was like traveling with a molue in the early 90s. Dana Air needs to carry out a comprehensive audit of her fleet and the maintenance status. If that hatch had opened mid air. We’d have lost cabin pressure, oxygen and surely have gone down. #terrible
— DapoSanwo (@DapoSanwo) February 7, 2018
But DanaAir released a statement insisting that the plane’s exit door must have been tampered with by a passenger or a crew member before it could fall off the way it did.
“We wish to state categorically that this could never have happened without a conscious effort by a passenger to open it (exit door),” the statement said.
“We also wish to enlighten the author that, when an aircraft is airborne, it is fully pressurized and there was no way the seat or door could have been ‘shaking’ as insinuated.
“There was also no threat to safety at any point. The flight was only delayed for 8 minutes as we needed to demonstrate to the regulators that the safety and comfort of our guests is at the centre of our operations.
“We wish to apologise to our guests for any inconvenience such report may have caused and for the slight delay on the return service to Lagos.”
Many Twitter users criticised DanaAir for the incident and called on the aviation authority to sanction the airline.
This Dana Air exit door that came off soon after landing is just another plane crash that has been miraculously averted.
In another country, there would be an inquest. Possibly suspension of Dana’s license.
— Karo (@KaroOrovboni) February 7, 2018
The other day it was Aero Contractor’s use of Ladder to disembark passengers, today it’s Dana Air loosed door????
Nigeria airlines obviously don’t value LIVES. pic.twitter.com/VcpsLkwCFa
— Kemi Ariyo (@d_problemsolver) February 7, 2018
The internet never forgets. It is on record that his attention has been drawn to the sad incident. Should we have any tragic event he will be held responsible and then my initial tweet will stare him in the face. Our leaders should place high premium on human life.
— Nnamdi Abana (@talktonnamdi) February 7, 2018
Dana, don’t do this to yourselves! Completely unnecessary. @DanaAir https://t.co/UNNXq2lYqQ
— Remi Sonaiya (@oluremisonaiya) February 7, 2018
Dana Air again. When I swore I would never use them after they took our people away from us you guys thought I was joking.
The airline is a death trap. They don’t value our lives one bit.
— RONDEL PREMIUM ???????? (@MrDatare) February 7, 2018
@DanaAir agaaaaain! can they be banned from Nigeria Air-ways forever already!!! and really everyone on board thatflight should be headed to a lawyer’s office. a class action suit is way overdue for their gross negligence.
— TamunoChristine (@Crisaida) February 7, 2018
Dana Air has 4 active aircrafts in its fleet.
Their newest aircraft is 26 years old.
The oldest is 33 years.Aircrafts this old are mainly used for cargo.
— Karo (@KaroOrovboni) February 7, 2018