Travellers aboard Camair-co’s recent flight from Libreville to Douala have raised serious complaints after facing multiple delays, a lack of in-flight services, and the shocking mishandling of their luggage. Among the frustrated passengers was a traveller whose experience underscores the extent of the airline’s operational failures.
The journey began on May 31st, when passengers boarded a flight to Libreville, Gabon. Despite being assured that meals were included in the fare, passengers were left hungry. “We were told the food was finished,” recounted one passenger, who asked not to be named. This was just the start of a series of troubling events.
On Tuesday, August 6th, the same traveller arrived at Libreville Airport, ready to return to Douala as scheduled. However, she was informed that Camair-Co does not operate flights on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “They asked me to come back on Wednesday,” she said. Yet, even when she returned the next day, the airline claimed the plane was full, despite her being registered to fly. “We were told to come back on Friday, and even then, not a single ‘we are sorry’ was said by Camair-co.”
The passenger finally managed to board the plane on Friday, but the ordeal was far from over. Another traveler was stopped at the entrance to the plane, told that the flight was full. “How was he able to be issued a confirmation ticket at check-in only to be refused entry at the gate?” she asked incredulously.
The flight, initially scheduled to depart at 1:00 PM, was postponed multiple times, finally taking off at 5:00 PM. The plane landed at Douala International Airport at 8:00 PM, with passengers expecting to retrieve their luggage and finally end the nightmare. However, their troubles continued.
“When we went to collect our luggage, we couldn’t find them,” the passenger said. They waited for an hour, believing the bags were being unloaded from the plane. It wasn’t until a passerby mentioned that no luggage was left on board that they realized something was wrong. “We thought he was joking because he wasn’t an authority,” she explained. After inquiring with customs, they were eventually informed that due to the plane being overweight, their luggage had been left behind in Gabon. The airline promised to send the bags either the next day or possibly the following week.
“Why did they not inform us while we were still in Gabon? Why was no one sent to tell us while we landed, and we were left to stand for more than an hour without any information?” the passenger questioned, visibly frustrated. She doesn’t live in Douala, and now faces the added burden of returning from Limbe to retrieve her belongings. “Who will incur the financial burden of traveling back to Douala?”
This passenger was not alone in her struggles. One woman on the flight was traveling for a wedding scheduled the next day, but her dresses were stuck in Gabon. Many others do not live in Douala and now face uncertainty regarding their possessions. Some bags contained perishable goods, while others held essential personal items. “As for me, all my dresses are in that bag. What will I be putting on?” the passenger lamented.
Camair-co has yet to issue an official apology or explanation for the mishaps. For now, passengers are left to wonder if and when they will see their belongings again, adding insult to injury after an already gruelling journey.
