Overland Airways, one of Nigeria’s leading airlines, has condemned the false and misleading use of the photograph of the airline’s aircraft in a poorly crafted report by a Nigerian newspaper, which has also been re-posted severally online.
Overland Airways stated in a release: “Our attention has been drawn to a malicious use of Overland Airways photograph in a report by The Nation Newspaper online depicting that Overland Airways aircraft was involved in an accident at Ilorin airport on Friday, July 23th 2021, irrespective of the fact that the reports also stated that the incident involved a different airline.”
“We want to state clearly that Overland Airways was not involved in the said incident as maliciously purported by The Nation Newspaper.”
“We are dismayed by the sheer harmful intention of the widely read Newspaper to mislead the public in the report which has since gone viral online,” the airline added.
Overland Airways also emphasized its commitment to hard-earned global safety standards and Membership of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
“Overland Airways is an IATA member airline which operates to the highest global safety standard with the globally acclaimed IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Registration, a global benchmark of operational safety amongst the world’s biggest airlines,” it said, noting: “Overland Airways condemns the irresponsibility displayed by the Newspaper in publishing the false and misleading report.”
The airline deemed it important for the newspaper to show remorse and clear the air by informing the public that its earlier publication was false.
“We therefore demand unreserved apology from the Newspaper and their corrigendum on their newspaper to correct the false damaging impression on Overland Airways to the general public.”
“Overland Airways has been consistently operating scheduled and charter services for almost 20 years in Nigeria and West Africa region. Overland Airways is committed to providing safe and efficient air transport service to support our passengers, as well as Nigeria’s and the region’s economies,” Overland Airways stated,” the airline stated.