The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Madam Fatima Maada Bio, has blasted Air France over what she calls “poor and discriminatory treatment of Africans traveling with the airline.”
Madam Bio wrote on her official Facebook page that the airline has bad attitude and no respect for Africans, no sympathy for African passengers traveling with children, no empathy for Africans with disability and provide bad and cheap food for Africans.
The First Lady narrated her experience with Air France.
“We checked in to fly out from Paris to Guinea via Sierra Leone after sitting in the flight for 2 hours we were asked to move from that plane because it was faulty thank God, we didn’t fly up air then had a situation. Fast forward we moved into another plane sat for another 2 hours and the pilot announced that we could not travel any longer because the crew has gone over their time.”
“They asked everyone to leave the plane with no other explanation. Women with children where left roaming the airport not knowing what to do. People in wheelchairs crisscrossing to find a place to rest and there was no one from Air France to help them. To make matter worst no one was allowed to take back their suitcases so if you had your medication in them as far as Air France was concern you can die for all the care.”
She disclosed that African pay the more but are not treated well.
“A crew of 12 people who did not travel or do anything ground more than 150 passengers because they are Africans. When will Air France understand that we are there biggest customers in terms of pricing. Africans pay the highest to travel to Africa in an inferior planes all the time.”
“We are treated like criminals at all European airports especially France. We are given the worst terminal to travel from like dogs. Even in the VIP lounges the food they present to us is only fit for prisoners.”
Madam Bio urged African leaders to engage the airline to ensure proper treatment of Africans.
“My advice to African Heads Of State is that engage the management of Air France and demand better treatment for our people. We are not slaves any longer so Air France should remove that mentality of superiority from their selfish self and know that no African country will go under France as slave.”
She called on Air France to change their “bad ways”.
