Cabinet Minister insulted airline officials and passengers on London Flight
When Michael Sata, Minister of Labour in the cabinet arrived in London on British Airways flight 052 from Lusaka last Friday, he left behind him a wake of angry passengers and airline officials in both Lusaka Harare and on the plane itself.
There was widespread outrage at the minister’s unruly behaviour at the airport on Thursday on the flight to London. A team of the airline’s customer Relations Officials apologised to first class passengers on arrival to London.
Sata is reported to have pushed a British Airways hostess, shouted racial slurs at another employee and insulted dozens of white passengers on the plane, according to eyewitnesses.
His behaviour, initially reported in the Sunday Times of Zambia which did not name the minister, was variously described by eyewitnesses as “disgusting”, “embarrassing”, “disgraceful” and unbecoming of a Cabinet minister”.
He was apparently angry that he had not been given the seat he wanted and was booked on seat no. 4K by travel agents Stamul Travel and tours. He told an airline official: “ In Britain ministers choose their own seats. I don’t see why I should not choose my own seat here.” Sata was reported to have said.
When he was told there were no seats for him to easily change, the minister accused local airline officials of favouring Zimbabwean passengers, even though the airline claimed fourteen first class seats were reserved for Zambian travellers and only four for Zimbabweans.
Eyewitnesses said Sata told Nikki Roberts, a coloured employee of British Airways based in Lusaka: “ Your problem young lady, is you think you are closer to the British (Whites) than I am. But your grandmother will not even see this money which British Airways are making.”
Sata said he should be taken off the flight if the right seat was not found for him. When the airline official asked whether he really wanted to be taken off the flight he reported: “ Do you know who you are talking to?” And addressing the crowd around him, he added: “That coloured girl has no respect. Does she know who she is speaking to?’
Carrying two bags himself, Sata barged on to the plane nearly knocking over the air hostess who intended to welcome him aboard the flight.
“Does he think he is minister of the world?” the hostess exclaimed.
He threw his bags on the seat that was not reserved for him and refused to move out. He took off his jacket and threw it in the face of the air hostess who had politely asked if she could take his jacket.
“I know Mr. Sata is a bit vocal but I have never seen him like that before. He has travelled on British Airways previously and nothing happened. He really surprised us. This time he went too far,” an official said.
The Captain threatened to throw Sata off the aircraft, but apparently decided not to because of the delay it would have caused. Sata was also reminded that once on the plane he was subject to British Law.
In Harare Sata’s performance continued. He not only refused to leave the seat he had earlier occupied but further asked a couple to vacate their seats for him. When they refused, he demanded to see their marriage certificate for him “to believe they were married” A report telexed from Harare revealed that British Airways staff there were totally embarrassed.
Allan Solloway of British Airways in London confirmed in a telephone interview that there was an “incident” involving Sata. He declined to provide details. “we are not prepared to give details of the incident but we have drawn it to the attention of the British High Commission,” he said.
He dispelled speculation that British Airways would take legal action against Sata. “we are not contemplating legal action,” he said, adding that the presence of customer relations staff at the airport in London was normal. “They are there to handle any complaints passengers may have.
A senior airline official in Lusaka confirmed that a report of the incident was on Monday handed to the High Commission, but emphasised that the airline did not want to draw into the matter because it was “political.”
“We don’t discriminate, especially for the first class passengers because people can reserve a seat months in advance. This cannot be changed, not even because one is a minister.”
Tim Andrews, Information Secretary at the High Commission, said: “we have received a report from British Airways about an incident at the airport-we await a decision from British Airways head office on whether or not they wish to make a formal complaint.”
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