Passengers were left stranded at airports in Lagos and Abuja on Tuesday as members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) disrupted flight operations in protest over unmet demands from domestic airlines.
The industrial action grounded several scheduled flights and restricted access to airport terminals, leaving travellers unable to board flights to destinations across the country.
The unions’ demands are centred on the unionisation of workers employed by domestic airlines and the remittance of statutory charges to the aviation regulator.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), in response to the disruption, appealed to the unions to suspend the action and embrace dialogue pending the return of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who the authority said had been working to resolve the dispute.
In a statement signed by the Director General of Civil Aviation at the NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo, the regulator said the issues could have been addressed at a meeting convened by the minister the previous week.
However, the meeting could not hold because airline operators failed to attend the invitation, according to the NCAA.
The aviation regulator assured passengers that flight safety had not been compromised and said it continued to discharge its statutory safety oversight responsibilities despite the industrial action.
“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 Airlines announced a temporary suspension of its flight operations as a result of the industrial action against domestic airlines.
The airline said it decided to suspend operations to protect the safety of its passengers and crew, describing safety as its highest priority.
“Rather than compromise on safety, we have chosen to pause operations until normalcy is restored,” the airline said.
United Nigeria Airlines apologised to affected passengers and said it was monitoring the situation closely. It added that passengers affected by the disruption would be kept informed of revised flight schedules and could contact its customer care team for further assistance.
Air Peace also announced a temporary disruption to its flight operations following the picketing of its airline facilities and the wider industrial action.
The airline said union members had barricaded the entrances to its departure terminals at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1, including the Alpha and Zulu terminals, as well as Terminal 2 in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport terminal in Abuja.
According to Air Peace, the blockades restricted access to the terminals and prevented scheduled flights from departing Lagos and Abuja.
The airline said passengers travelling across its network were significantly affected by the disruption and apologised to those who had been stranded.
Air Peace said passengers scheduled to travel later in the day were being contacted and provided with updates as the situation developed.
The airline also said it was closely monitoring the situation and would provide further information as necessary.
The disruption comes amid renewed tensions between organised labour and domestic airline operators over employment and regulatory obligations in Nigeria’s aviation industry.
With major airports in Lagos and Abuja affected, the industrial action has created significant disruption for passengers and airlines, while the NCAA continues to push for dialogue between the unions and operators.
The regulator expressed confidence that the dispute would be resolved and normal flight operations restored as soon as practicable.
