On 9 July, on a British Airways flight from London to Lagos, the Nigerian poet Dami Ajayi‘s laptop was stolen. He had used it until an hour before the plane landed, written a 3,000-word essay, read some articles, packed it in its bag, and then he had gotten up twice or thrice from his seat, and after he got down at the airport, he couldn’t find it. The Saraba co-founder filed an official complaint with British Airways and shared the ordeal on Facebook.
The post in full:
A terrible thing happened to me yesterday. On the flight from Heathrow to Lagos, I sat in a window seat and my only company was sitting at the aisle seat. I put my laptop bag in the middle seat and once we were cruising, I brought out my laptop and bashed out an essay of about 3000 words. One hour to the end of the flight, I packed up my laptop and read a few articles saved in Pocket. I must have stood up at least three times, once to stretch my legs and two or thrice to use the gents. The flight arrived in Lagos and went about my merry way until I opened my laptop bag and my Asus Zenbook Laptop was gone. I have been in contact with British Airways and they said the people who cleaned the aircraft didn’t find my laptop around my seat area. Please if you know anyone who may have seen my laptop help me beg them to give it back. All my writings are inside it. Please forward this until it reaches the bespectacled lady with braces sitting beside me.
Following more complaints and mentions on Twitter, British Airways responded, referring Ajayi to the Nigerian police. But the airline was asked to do more, including sharing the security footage with the police.
Hi, there. We’re very concerned to hear this. Was this removed from his checked luggage or hand luggage? I’m afraid we’re not liable for any electronic items in checked luggage or from hand luggage as the customers is responsible for the own belongings on board. Neil
— British Airways (@British_Airways) July 9, 2019
Hi there. If you believe the lady sitting next to you stole your laptop, then you need to report to the local police at the airport where you arrived. Neil
— British Airways (@British_Airways) July 9, 2019
Hi @British_Airways, the police can only work with what you give them. Are you able to provide the police with security footage from the flight along with the details of the passenger referred to in Dami’s complaints? Do be helpful. You can be of better help than this.
— Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún (@kolatubosun) July 10, 2019
Ajayi requested that British Airways properly attend to his initial query, questioning the airline’s customer policy. He suggested the treatment was racial discrimination and indicated his willingness to sue on grounds of consequent illness.
.@British_Airways please respond to my initial queries. My laptop was stolen on the aircraft clearly one hour before landing. It was stowed away in a laptop bag in a vacant middle seat. Please help.
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 9, 2019
So if there’s an in-flight homicide, expect this from @British_Airways:
“We’re not liable for anyone’s life on board. It was the passenger’s responsibility to ensure she disembarked with her life. If you think a crime has been committed, report to the local police, blah blah…”— Rotimi Babatunde (@rotimibabatunde) July 11, 2019
Good afternoon Neil, David, Steph or any gaddam body of .@British_Airways did any of you consider tracing the contact of the occupant of Seat 41C to ask if she had ‘mistakenly’ picked (nicked) an Asus Zenbook?@KadariaAhmed @lolashoneyin @kolatubosun @deartitilope @MissWanaWana
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 11, 2019
Did any of you take seriously my account that 41D was occupied by her mother & a courteous phone call to 41D to thoroughly search her daughter’s belongings would have forestall the impending shit that will hit your fan? .@British_Airways
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 11, 2019
Did you consider passing on the manifest of BA 75 to Aviation Security officials, the legitimate keepers of order at the airport, given that a theft had occured when the laptop didn’t show up among lost/found items .@British_Airways
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 11, 2019
Is there a portfolio called Global Security Head in .@British_Airways responsible for authorising the viewing CCTV footages inside the air craft. If formal complaints are made ( see 19312869) how long do you need get on the situation?
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 11, 2019
.@British_Airways Is it possible that my skin colour and nationality is the reason why I can’t get a fair treatment like other customers whose trivial complaints of being overcharged by an extra nickel are answered dutifully with a dollop of the good old English courtesy.
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 11, 2019
.@British_Airways while my formal complaint sits in some redundant cyber reservoir & you continue to DM me that you are not responsible for the properties of passengers within the cabin, I have news for (in the next tweet)
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 11, 2019
Since the theft of my laptop, I have been anxious & unable to function. I have been placed on medications. Is there a direct relationship between my sudden illness and my laptop? That is a question we can answer in court. .@British_Airways
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 11, 2019
.@British_Airways I just want good ol’ Ashake back with my 7000 words 2-years-in-development thesis. But it is 72 hours now, the thief would have disposed her at Computer Village. If I wanted a brand new Asus, Apple or Banana, I will see .@AXAMansard about my insurance
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 11, 2019
After this last tweet I will spend my time seeking out the closest Police station to the airport to rewrite the statement I wrote for the Aviation Security officials in Tango City (Tango City is a euphemism for Túbú for minor airport infractions). @British_Airways @AXAMansard
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 11, 2019
The development has provoked a response from Nigerian Twitter. People are calling out British Airways’ condescension and lack of professional empathy, asking the airline to work with the Nigerian police to recover the laptop.
@Modupeola, thank you for reaching out to us.The matter can only be escalated with the airline as the incident occured https://t.co/cAX12qEeda sorry that we are unable to assist – Sharon
— Travelstart Nigeria (@TravelstartNG) July 11, 2019
Our co-founder and editor @ajayidami lost his laptop during a British Airways flight.
Please help us @British_Airways find his laptop as events show it was lost during the flight. Kindly RT until we get help and find the laptop.
Thank you! https://t.co/ubAFLU2NmU
— Saraba Magazine (@Sarabamag) July 10, 2019
Nigerian writer Dami Ajayi loses laptop on British Airways flight, laments loss of writings ▷ Nigeria news | https://t.co/yyRc3UkPBi
@British_Airways @ajayidami needs his laptop back. Do something now!! https://t.co/ofrKInlhot
— Chiké FrankieEdozien (@FrankieEdozien) July 10, 2019
@British_Airways have you sorted out @ajayidami ‘s laptop stolen on your flight? Worried you’re quite willing to see what you can do for a flyer who had a financial loss on YOUR flight yet you’re speaking English to man at the risk of suffering the loss of intellectual property. pic.twitter.com/rfv20vvPpN
— Richard Ali. (@richardalijos) July 10, 2019
It is totally irresponsible the way @British_Airways CS is handling the theft of @ajayidami laptop on the plane.
https://t.co/RINoyFwjQB— Feyisayo (@feanAD) July 10, 2019
Come on, @British_Airways! You can do better than these unhelpful replies. A brilliant writer, @ajayidami is also one of our nation’s most committed psychiatrists. We need to know if you can provide footage. https://t.co/q0aknVgkEL
— Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn (@lolashoneyin) July 10, 2019
Hello @British_Airways, you are in the best position to facilitate the recovery of the missing laptop, not the Nigerian Police. You have the passenger info for the said flight, including seating position, you can start your investigation with that
— AdesolaFakile (@adesolafaks) July 10, 2019
C’mon @British_Airways this is no way to treat people, especially one of Nigeria’s brilliant writer, @ajayidami. Show concern and do the needful. His works in progress and projects are in that laptop. Do the right thing. https://t.co/SMIlBToRqS
— Socrates Mbamalu 🇰🇪🇳🇬 (@SocratesMbamalu) July 10, 2019
@British_Airways @ajayidami Beyond the ready made response, do ensure you offer this talented writer every assistant to recover his laptop. This is response is a form of violence on his psyche–on the psyche of those who travel with you.
— Jumoke Verissimo * (@awapointe) July 10, 2019
They don’t even seem to care. @British_Airways is this how you treat your passengers? This is so disappointing. So, so disappointing.
— kanyinsola (sullied torgo nudho) (@K_tops) July 10, 2019
They use bots to reply the Africans perhaps? https://t.co/rNVwqheY8K pic.twitter.com/kjQYLiPBUq
— Richard Ali. (@richardalijos) July 10, 2019
@British_Airways, it will cost you nothing to assist @ajayidami in recovering his laptop that was stolen on your plane. Please do the needful, his writings are on that laptop and as a writer that’s a nightmare. Stop sending unhelpful and condescending tweets.
— Romeo Oriogun (@SonOfOlokun) July 10, 2019
The stolen laptop belongs to the brilliant Nigerian writer & psychiatrist @ajayidami & his complaints have been consistently trivialized. A proper investigation, with you working with the police can bring the much needed resolution to this unfortunate incident.
— Efe Paul Azino (@EFEPAUL) July 10, 2019
Nick of .@British_Airways, This is a condescending tweet. You named me there. Is there the opposite of here, your high horse. It is irresponsible that on behalf of your company, you failed to own up to theft in the last hour of BA 75. You will hear from my lawyers. pic.twitter.com/Fp3etg1HMP
— Jolly Zaddy (@ajayidami) July 10, 2019
Nelly, of @British_Airways, your lack of professional empathy in this situation is jarring. Your condescendion, more so. You do not sound like you need the job and I do hope your response is not a reflection of your company’s feelings about her Nigerian fliers and customers.
— Daddy G. O. (@nduxsir) July 10, 2019
Please, @British_Airways, get @ajayidami his laptop. Getting a stolen item, or getting information on a stolen item, shouldn’t be a herculean task to you guys. How much longer should he wait? https://t.co/8CplePPbJT
— Udo’ (@ezeikwuagwu) July 10, 2019
@ajayidami @British_Airways come on BA, you have to do better!!! What’s the whole point of the insurance paid with the ticket!!
— Raliat Akerele (@Mo_Akerele) July 10, 2019
All this non chalant attitude is because he’s Nigerian. If he was british or American, they would’ve found the laptop by now
— Emma Aboyi. (@AmAboyi) July 10, 2019
He’s your customer, Don’t you think he deserves better treatment from you…He just lost a property on your plane…Do you know customer service at all
— Obinna James S. (@jamexy7) July 10, 2019
Beyond ridiculous! I cannot even believe that with his careful explanation, the handler still sent those replies!
— Ifreke Inyang (@Ifreke) July 10, 2019
This clearly needs a hashtag.
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