Air Travel Chaos: Aviation Unions' Strike Strands Passengers Amidst Air Peace Dispute
Aviation unions in Nigeria have initiated an industrial action, leading to widespread flight disruptions and stranded passengers at Abuja and Lagos airports. The strike stems from grievances over workers' freedom to unionize and the alleged non-remittance of the five percent Ticket Sales Charge. The NCAA has appealed for dialogue to resolve the dispute, which has directly affected major airlines.
Passengers faced significant disruptions at Nigeria's major airports, including Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, as aviation unions initiated an industrial action. The widespread strike on Tuesday afternoon led to the suspension or rescheduling of numerous flights, leaving travelers stranded and causing considerable inconvenience. Key airlines such as Air Peace, Enugu Air, and United Nigeria Airlines were forced to adjust their operations due to restricted access to airport terminals barricaded by union members.
Air Peace reported that entrances to its departure terminals at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Alpha and Zulu terminals) and Terminal 2 in Lagos, along with the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport terminal in Abuja, were blocked. This blockade prevented scheduled flights from departing both cities, prompting the airline to apologize to affected passengers and communicate updates. Similarly, Enugu Air temporarily suspended operations at Abuja airport after staff were denied terminal access, leading to potential flight reschedules. United Nigeria Airlines also announced a temporary suspension of its services, prioritizing passenger and crew safety, and promised to inform affected passengers of revised schedules, with all airlines stating they would resume normal operations once normalcy returned.
The industrial action is spearheaded by several prominent unions, including the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE, with strong backing from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC). Their grievances primarily center on two critical issues: first, alleged restrictions on workers' freedom to unionize, where some airline employees reportedly fear discrimination or victimization for expressing interest in joining trade unions; and second, the alleged non-remittance of the five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) collected from passengers.
The unions contend that the five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), a statutory source of funding for aviation agencies, has been collected by airlines but withheld, impacting the implementation of negotiated collective bargaining agreements and conditions of service for aviation workers. They had previously issued notices warning of industrial action if these issues were not addressed, demanding assurances of unhindered union membership rights and the immediate remittance of the accumulated TSC funds. This charge has been a long-standing point of contention in Nigeria's aviation sector, with airlines often citing it as a financial burden, while aviation agencies and labor groups emphasize its vital role in the sector's operational funding.
In response to the escalating situation, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) intervened, with Director-General Chris Najomo appealing to the unions to suspend their action. Mr. Najomo urged all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation, noting that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, was actively working to resolve the dispute. The NCAA revealed that a meeting convened by Minister Keyamo to address the matter last week could not hold because airline operators failed to honor the invitation. The authority assured passengers that flight safety remained uncompromised and continued its statutory safety oversight responsibilities, while regretting the extensive inconvenience caused to the traveling public.
The ongoing dispute has directly impacted passengers, who face significant uncertainty over their travel plans as airlines adjust schedules due to restricted airport access. This situation underscores a broader disagreement within the aviation sector, combining crucial concerns about labor rights with the contentious issue of aviation revenue remittance. Passengers are advised to closely monitor updates from their respective airlines before heading to the affected airports, as the resolution remains pending.