estebandepraga
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- Nov 20, 2009
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Hi to all,
Although this might sound very far-fetched, I can tell you it is nothing but the whole truth and many of you know me! I even had a program about it on my radio programme, The Typical Mistake.
Many years ago, I was based for my job in Nairobi, Kenya and after many months of non-stop leading safaris through Kenya and Tanzania, I had 2 breaks; during one, I went after the civil war to Yemen ( and now another civil and Saudi war) and on the other to Ethiopia.
To make a very long story short, I was taken hostage(along with the other passengers) on a hijacked Ethiopian Airlines flight which was a living nightmare which ended after 48 hours when the Ethiopian hijackers finally turned themselves in( I was the mediator) and we then started phase 2 of the story as we were taken to El Obeid, a city in Central-West Sudan which was a terrorist training hotbed. I was forced to make a video on Sudanese TV which was then to be given to the major TV networks such as BBC, ABC,CNN,DW,TVE etc sorry no TeLeFe or 13!
Why am I tellng you this? Because now after 21 years, I am going back to Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines in November and it occured to me to see if I could get any special treatment such as an upgrade, a free domestic flight to visit the sight where I was headed but obviously never reached due to the hijacking or even an extended stay in the country by allowing me to change my return date from Addis Ababa. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY COMPENSATION PRIOR TO THIS! Since I am going back, I thought I am not asking too much! Ethiopian Airlines told me that 1) They had no record of this hijacking and 2) I would have to follow strictly the fare rules of the ticket! And I had an agreement with Ethiopian that they would take me from point A to point B which was never fulfilled on their behalf when I was hijacked.
Does anyone have any idea where I may go? I went to an air travel ombudsman but to no use.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Esteban
PS I sent Ethiopian airlines several copies of the articles in world press as well as the incident with the pilot's name in a recently published book called "Violence in the Skies" published this year. The date of the hijacking was 17 March, 1995. It can be googled.
Although this might sound very far-fetched, I can tell you it is nothing but the whole truth and many of you know me! I even had a program about it on my radio programme, The Typical Mistake.
Many years ago, I was based for my job in Nairobi, Kenya and after many months of non-stop leading safaris through Kenya and Tanzania, I had 2 breaks; during one, I went after the civil war to Yemen ( and now another civil and Saudi war) and on the other to Ethiopia.
To make a very long story short, I was taken hostage(along with the other passengers) on a hijacked Ethiopian Airlines flight which was a living nightmare which ended after 48 hours when the Ethiopian hijackers finally turned themselves in( I was the mediator) and we then started phase 2 of the story as we were taken to El Obeid, a city in Central-West Sudan which was a terrorist training hotbed. I was forced to make a video on Sudanese TV which was then to be given to the major TV networks such as BBC, ABC,CNN,DW,TVE etc sorry no TeLeFe or 13!
Why am I tellng you this? Because now after 21 years, I am going back to Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines in November and it occured to me to see if I could get any special treatment such as an upgrade, a free domestic flight to visit the sight where I was headed but obviously never reached due to the hijacking or even an extended stay in the country by allowing me to change my return date from Addis Ababa. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY COMPENSATION PRIOR TO THIS! Since I am going back, I thought I am not asking too much! Ethiopian Airlines told me that 1) They had no record of this hijacking and 2) I would have to follow strictly the fare rules of the ticket! And I had an agreement with Ethiopian that they would take me from point A to point B which was never fulfilled on their behalf when I was hijacked.
Does anyone have any idea where I may go? I went to an air travel ombudsman but to no use.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Esteban
PS I sent Ethiopian airlines several copies of the articles in world press as well as the incident with the pilot's name in a recently published book called "Violence in the Skies" published this year. The date of the hijacking was 17 March, 1995. It can be googled.
