Turkish Airlines fulfills promise to NAHCO staff

By Ariyo Akinfenwa

 The Turkish Airlines has fulfilled its promise to a staff of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO, Mr Salami Lateef Ibrahim with returned ticket and Visa to Istanbul, Turkey for submitting the sum of 25,000 pounds and 5,000 euro he found inside an aircraft at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Ibrahim, a cabin cleaning team leader, found the wallet containing the amount during a routine cleaning of an aircraft belonging to a different airline.

Salami has since embarked on the trip and returned with the Managing Director of the airline Mr. Ali Bulut who was also on board the aircraft.

Mr. Bulut,  said ‘it is not good only to make a promise, you must fulfill it. That is what we have done in this case to tell honest people that their actions will be rewarded; it is a matter of time.

‘It is a great pleasure for us at Turkish Airlines to be associated with such an honesty Salami displayed on that fateful day when he returned the money. It does not matter whether it happened on our aircraft or not. The most important thing is that an act of honesty was displayed,’ he stated.

Relaying his experience on the trip, Salami Lateef said the journey was a memorable one. ‘I have been cleaning the aircraft for several years but have not flown in it for once. The in-flight service and entertainment was a wonderful experience from the cabin crew of Turkish Airlines. This is first part of what make the trip memorable.

‘Entering Istanbul is another part. The city is properly planned with working and functioning infrastructures. They are making so much money from tourism. I met people from different nations, visiting different tourist sites such as Grand Bazaar, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the ancient Basilica known as Hagia Sophia were magnificent structures. It was indeed memorable.

He expressed his gratitude to Turkish Airlines for making such a dream come true and also grateful to his organization NAHCO for supporting him financially to embark on this journey. ‘Without working for NAHCO, I might not have had this opportunity that people out there are seeking.’ –said Salami.

Ibrahim was initially rewarded with a rebate ticket by the Turkish Airlines Station Manager at the airport, Mr. Ovunc  Bilgen but had the ticket upgraded to a full return ticket by the Managing Director of the airline in Nigeria, Mr. Ali Bulut, saying that ‘Mr Ibrahim deserves it for his honesty.’

Ariyo Akinfenwa reports for Business Travel magazine, Lagos, Nigeria