Passengers were stranded at airports in Lagos and Abuja on Tuesday as members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) disrupted flight operations in protest against unresolved demands by domestic airlines.
The industrial action, which grounded several scheduled flights, was triggered by the unions’ demands over workers’ unionisation and the payment of statutory charges to the aviation regulator.
Reacting to the disruption, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) appealed to the unions to suspend the action and exercise restraint pending the return of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who has been working to resolve the dispute.
In a statement signed by the NCAA Director General of Civil Aviation, Captain Chris Najomo, the authority said the issues could have been addressed at a meeting convened by the minister last week.
According to the NCAA, however, the meeting could not hold because airline operators failed to honour the invitation.
The aviation authority assured passengers that flight safety had not been compromised and that it remained committed to carrying out its statutory safety oversight responsibilities.
“We appeal to all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation. We are confident that the matter will be resolved shortly and normal flight operations will resume as soon as practicable,” the NCAA said.
United Nigeria Suspends Operations
United Nigeria Airlines announced a temporary suspension of its flight operations following the industrial action by the labour unions against domestic airlines.
The airline said the decision was taken to safeguard the lives of its passengers and crew, stressing that safety remained its top priority.
“Rather than compromise on safety, we have chosen to pause operations until normalcy is restored,” the airline said.
United Nigeria Airlines apologised to passengers for the disruption and said it was closely monitoring developments.
The airline added that affected passengers would be informed of revised flight schedules and advised them to contact its customer care team for further assistance.
Air Peace Flights Disrupted
Air Peace also announced a temporary disruption to its operations following the picketing of its facilities and the ongoing industrial action by the unions.
The airline said the action resulted in the barricading of entrances to its departure terminals at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1, including the Alpha and Zulu Terminals, as well as Terminal 2 in Lagos.
The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal in Abuja was also affected.
According to Air Peace, the blockade restricted access to the terminals and prevented scheduled flights from departing Lagos and Abuja, leaving passengers travelling across its network significantly affected.
“Air Peace sincerely apologises to all affected and stranded passengers for the disruption and inconvenience caused by circumstances beyond the airline’s control,” the airline said.
It added that passengers scheduled to travel later in the day were being contacted and provided with updates as the situation developed.
The airline said it would continue to monitor the situation and issue further updates as necessary, while thanking passengers for their patience and understanding.
