By James Sunday, FCAI, MNIIA
There was a time when some of us travelled in wooden trucks and bonsuwe buses, even Ford buses, and there was hardly any cause to fight one another. We were all equal; no class discrimination, no economy class, no business class. You could travel for days and still arrive safely at your destination because there was security and no fear of kidnapping. The only menace then was armed robbery. Nigeria Airways, the national carrier, was reserved for those who could afford it. Many of us who now travel by air once covered long distances by bus or train.
Advancement and development come with responsibility. Civilisation does not erode human dignity, nor should corporate interests replace it. So where did we get it wrong?
In developed nations, ministers, CEOs, managers, and captains of industry use trains to travel from one city to another. They queue up, wait their turn, and sit quietly until they reach their stop. We must aspire to this standard — where alternative means of transportation are readily available, to remove the false sense of achievement and undue pride sometimes displayed by airline users and operators. Healthy competition between airlines, trains, and road transport services on well-maintained roads would reduce in-flight altercations and restore civility in travel.
It is troubling that air travel in Nigeria so often comes with unwarranted rescheduling, cancellations, embarrassing disputes, lost luggage, and unfair treatment of passengers.
The government must invest in an efficient train network that connects major cities, alongside a reliable road network that makes travel safe and accessible. Travellers should be able to journey without fear of losing their lives, damaging tyres, or being stranded due to breakdowns and delays.
Air travel should be an option, not the only viable means of long-distance transport. High-speed trains, as seen in countries like China, would provide a better alternative for many journeys. A well-organised, diversified transportation system would reduce the pressure on airlines, give travellers more choice, and enhance the overall travel experience.
#AlternativeMeansOfTransportation