Everything is connected to everything. Have you had time to pay attention to the artistry and dexterity of Mexican, or Philippian room service staff at most hotels globally?
Have you paid attention to how they make beds, the exceptional attention they pay to each process in ensuring alignments?
If you are from my culture, your default thought would be to scoof at it saying “person go still sleep on top the bed”?
It is a cultural, and if you don’t have it, you don’t have it.
A few years ago I told my friend and brother Kuti Sofumade that I observed something about the Ethiopians, East Africans and Southern Africans, especially those with viable tourism sectors.
There’s a connection between the level of attention a people pay to details and their ability to manage certain sectors. Getting it right in one sector, opens doors in other ancillary sectors.
A few years ago, while working on a project our organisation was handling for the Ethiopian government, I had the privilege of engaging with the CEO of Ethiopian Airport Enterprises, the omnibus organisation that runs the airports.
I had the opportunity to watch real time on a large screen, the highly organised and excessively synchronization of the operations.
From baggage handling, to cargo, to passenger transfers, freighting and scheduling of aircraft gates.
It was too dizzying for my untrained eyes. That day, my respect for the Ethiopians took notches higher.
Running an airport is taskingly draining, it takes the highest level of human intelligence and coordination. It takes a culture with zero intolerance for ineptitude, not to talk of incompetence.
Little wonder why they run Africa’s most profitable airline.
There’s no place for “By the Grace of God”, that subtle blackmail that pushes the blame for incompetence and unprofessionalism to God who has already given you the intelligence and Knowhow to achieve.
News: Lady Valerie Fubara Charges Children On Good Behaviour
Why am I ranting this morning?
Just imagine how a ground handler’s gross highly inexcusable incompetence in using a conveyor belt to hit a brand new aircraft belonging to Air Peace which caused a major damage to the engine cover.
This damage didn’t just lead to a major disruption in the airline’s schedule throughout the festive season, but a costly damage to the aircraft.
I agree incidents do happen even at some of the best airports in the world, but if you know the extent some of the disruptions we experience in flights scheduling is down to incompetence of ground handling, you’d understand the challenges we face.
According to preliminary assessment of the damage, the entire casing of the engine alone alone is about $3.5m, and the engine is about $18m.
In the words of NCAA spokesman Michael Achimugu,the aircraft was one of the brand new E2’s, and it was fully booked until January 15th, 2026. Now, all innocent passengers booked for its operations will experience one delay or cancellation.
“Air Peace has suffered a lot of these technical issues through no fault of theirs. We need to start naming and shaming poorly trained ground handling personnel whose inefficiency costs the airlines great reputational, financial, and technical damage.
“We will now be looking to strengthen the regulations in a way that also heavily sanctions service providers for matters like the type in the images below.
“Airlines should not be held responsible for situations like this, and passengers should be informed, most honestly, about the reasons for disruptions caused by these unfortunate scenarios.”
The question we should ask is why aviation handling companies that manage concessions running into billions and making hundreds of millions daily not invest a small fraction on capacity building and manpower training, not to talk of paying pittance to operational staff who are a dangers unto the industry and security threats to the sector?
Why is there very poor oversight by regulatory agencies on the quality of staff hired by these concessionaires and periodic reviews and assessments of their contractual terms?
A people who abhor excellence would be perpetually trapped amongst clucking Ducks instead of soaring Eagles.
