Domestic airlines have begun restoring flight operations after aviation unions temporarily suspended their industrial action, hours after the action disrupted flights and left passengers stranded at airports in Lagos and Abuja.
The temporary suspension has eased the immediate disruption to air travel, although the dispute between the unions and airline operators remains unresolved.
Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines resume operations as passengers face backlog
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, Osifo-Whiskey Efe, spokesperson for Air Peace, said the airline had resumed operations but was still working to accommodate passengers affected by the industrial action.
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Mr Efe said the airline operates about 70 regional and international flights daily and had cancelled 29 flights as of Tuesday afternoon, with further cancellations possible as it worked to determine how many flights could operate with passengers waiting at the airports.
“We are trying to see how many flights we can operate with the amount of passengers who have been waiting at the airport,” he said.
Mr Efe said the unions had announced at the airport that they were temporarily suspending the industrial action.
“Yes, they stated that it has been suspended,” he said.
He, however, said the unions indicated that the action could continue the following day and that other airlines could be targeted.
“They stated that they will continue tomorrow. That they are done with their first phase, which is Air Peace, and they will come back for the other airlines, which will be communicated in due course. We don’t know which airline they want to picket,” he said.
United Nigeria Airlines also announced the resumption of its flight operations following the temporary suspension of the industrial action.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the airline said its scheduled morning flights had been affected by the action.
“Please note that our scheduled morning flights were impacted. We are working to ensure that all affected passengers are accommodated and reunited with their destinations as soon as possible,” the airline said.
The airline thanked passengers for their patience and understanding and advised those seeking updates or further assistance to contact its customer service team.
The resumption came after hours of disruption during which passengers at airports in Lagos and Abuja were unable to proceed with some scheduled journeys.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that aviation unions had picketed Air Peace operations and restricted access to some airport terminals, disrupting flights and leaving passengers stranded.
Air Peace had said entrances to its departure terminals at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1, including the Alpha and Zulu terminals, Terminal 2 in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport terminal in Abuja had been barricaded.
The airline said the blockade prevented scheduled flights from departing Lagos and Abuja and significantly affected passengers travelling across its network.
The industrial action followed a dispute between aviation unions and domestic airlines over the remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and allegations concerning workers’ freedom to join trade unions.
The unions, including the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), have accused some domestic airlines of restricting workers from freely joining unions.
They have also alleged that airlines collected the five per cent TSC from passengers but failed to remit the funds to the appropriate aviation agencies.
The unions have demanded assurances that workers are free to join unions of their choice without fear of victimisation, as well as the remittance of the TSC they allege has been collected but withheld.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had warned aviation unions against disrupting flight operations over the TSC dispute.
The operators said domestic airlines were already facing difficult operating conditions, citing high aviation fuel costs and multiple charges imposed on airlines.
Air Peace rejects allegations
Air Peace has rejected allegations surrounding its relationship with aviation unions, saying it does not owe ₦25 billion in statutory dues and that it has been complying with directives on the remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC).
In a separate statement, responding to the allegations, the airline said it had been complying with recent directives from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on the remittance of the applicable TSC to the relevant regulatory body.
The airline also said its employees had freely chosen not to join the unions.
“Air Peace does not owe ₦25 billion in statutory dues. The airline, like other Nigerian airlines, has been complying with the recent directives of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regarding the remittance of the applicable 5% Ticket Sales Charge to the relevant regulatory body,” it said.
It added: “Our employees freely and peacefully exercised their constitutional right to decline union membership.”
Air Peace also rejected suggestions that its workers were being denied welfare benefits, saying its employees were not owed salaries and had access to benefits including health insurance through a health maintenance organisation (HMO).
The airline said its workers had also been involved in its decision-making processes and that it would not allow what it described as unlawful interference with its operations or intimidation of its workforce.
Air Peace further alleged that its operations were singled out for picketing while other airlines were allowed to operate.
It said the blockade of its terminals disrupted its operations and left passengers stranded, arguing that the disruption was not caused by the airline or the affected passengers.
The airline also alleged that some of its employees were physically assaulted during the industrial action after resisting attempts to get them to join the unions.
“Air Peace employees were physically assaulted following their resistance to joining the unions and their opposition to the disruptive action,” the airline said, adding that it considered the incident a breach of its employees’ rights.
The airline said the disruption had caused significant financial losses, which it estimated at more than ₦1 billion.
It also expressed concern about the wider implications of disrupting airport operations, particularly for an aviation sector already facing significant operational challenges.
“This selective disruption, if not investigated, could have consequences the nation can ill afford,” the airline said.
Air Peace called for the incident to be investigated and said it remained committed to the welfare and safety of its employees and passengers.
The airline also said it was willing to work with relevant authorities and stakeholders towards resolving the dispute.
NCAA, FAAN intervene
The temporary suspension followed an appeal by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for the unions to suspend the industrial action and embrace dialogue.
PREMIUM TIMES also reported that NCAA Director-General, Chris Najomo, urged the unions to exercise restraint pending the return of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who the regulator said was working to resolve the dispute.
Mr Najomo said a meeting convened by the minister the previous week could have addressed the grievances, but the meeting could not hold because airline operators failed to honour the invitation.
The NCAA appealed to all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation and expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved and normal flight operations restored as soon as practicable.
The regulator also assured passengers that flight safety remained uncompromised and that it continued to discharge its statutory safety oversight responsibilities.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) also assured passengers of continued airport operations amid the industrial action.
FAAN said it was working with relevant aviation agencies, airlines, security agencies and other stakeholders to minimise the impact of the action and ensure that airport operations were not disrupted.
The authority also said earlier operational challenges affecting the movement of some flights within the airside environment had been addressed through inter-agency coordination.
With operations now resuming, airlines are having to accommodate passengers whose flights were cancelled or disrupted during the industrial action. The temporary suspension has allowed airlines to begin restoring services, but it has not ended the dispute.
However, the aviation unions indicated that their action could resume today, with other airlines potentially targeted in subsequent phases.
For passengers, the immediate concern is whether their flights will operate as scheduled after a day of disruption.
Airlines have advised affected passengers to contact their customer service teams and monitor official communication channels for updates as normal operations are gradually restored.