Arik Air has refunded N43,998 to Manuel Ade (real name withheld), an Abuja-based civil servant who paid the amount on February 8 to reroute his flight.
Ade got his money back on Tuesday morning, more than 10 months after he paid the amount and three months after FIJ’s publication on the delayed refund.
The refund
READ MORE: Arik Air Fails to Refund Abuja Civil Servant’s N43,998 After Double Payment 7 Months Ago
FIJ’s report published on September 18 detailed how the Abuja resident paid twice, through no fault of his, to have his flight rerouted in February.
Despite requesting a refund for the excess N43,998 via email on February 8 and at Arik Air’s counter at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos the following day, he did not get a refund.
At the Lagos airport, the airline’s customer service informed Ade that his bank would handle the refund process. However, when he visited a First Bank branch, the bank said that only Arik Air could authorise the refund.
Similarly, when FIJ reached out to the airline on Ade’s behalf in September, a customer relations officer explained that he would need to log the transaction again with the bank and request that the bank issue a reversal instruction to Arik Air.
Even though Ade did as requested, he still did not get his money back.
READ ALSO: After FIJ’s Story, Arik Air Refunds Customer’s N201,500
Then on December 4, he decided to share a link to FIJ’s publication with the airline through its official Facebook page.
That move from his end would then set things in motion. First, the airline acknowledged his complaint and escalated it to the appropriate unit for assessment.
The link sent to Arik Air on December 4 and the airline’s response.
Continuation of the conversation between the Abuja resident and Arik Air.
Continuation of the conversation between the Abuja resident and Arik Air.
And then on Tuesday, the airline credited the Abuja resident’s bank account with the N43,998.
While providing the update to FIJ on Tuesday morning, he said, “Thank you. The airline reversed my money.”
The post After FIJ’s Story, Arik Air Refunds Passenger’s N43,998 Held for 10 Months appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.