By Imo-owo Mbede
Christmas is here again! The season of exorbitant flight fares, yet, bustling airports, packed flights, and, of course, extra luggage. From foodstuffs to gifts for family, friends and loved ones, at home and abroad, the airports are choked not just with passengers but also with their countless suitcases and boxes. And herein lies the issue: those suitcases could be a big problem for your safety.
Last January, during a chat with an airline personnel, I learned something that shook me. The personnel narrated how a pilot had complained about difficulty landing a flight because the aircraft was too heavy (even after some passengers’ luggage had been left behind to be transported on later flights).
Of course, this excessive weight stemmed from the airline’s eagerness to rake in additional revenue from passengers’ excess luggage. The pilot reportedly threatened that he would not fly again under such risky conditions.
While ticket racketeering, holiday surcharges, and the practice of rescheduling tickets of some passengers to accommodate higher-paying customers often make headlines, the danger of overloaded planes is an issue we don’t talk about nearly enough.
This risk remains largely unknown to, or even ignored by the public. Paying for excess luggage seems a minor inconvenience that only hurts the pockets. However, excess weight from excess luggage compromises the plane’s performance, particularly during takeoff and landing. The margin for error is slim, and the consequences can be dire.
My dear brothers and sisters, as you pack your bags this Christmas, ask yourself: Do I really need to carry all of this stuff on the flight? Prioritise essentials and explore cost-effective alternatives for shipping bulk items. It’s a small sacrifice for a safer flight for everyone.
Our dear airline operators, the festive season often means heightened demand and increased opportunities for profit, but safety should always come first. Ignoring minimum safety standards like weight limits for extra revenue is a dangerous gamble.
Passenger trust is earned through a commitment to safety, not by pushing the limits of operational capacity for financial gain. Compliance with the relevant safety protocols is essential to the safety of lives and will yield far more value than short-term excess baggage revenue.
Together, let us do the right thing to ensure everyone travels safely during this festive period and beyond.
Merry Christmas and safe travels, everyone!
By Imo-owo Mbede, a public affairs analyst writes from Abuja..
