Air Peace flights were disrupted across Lagos and Abuja on Tuesday after aviation unions barricaded access to the airline’s terminals over an alleged failure to remit the statutory five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC).
The industrial action, which began at about 5:00am, prevented passengers from accessing Air Peace departure terminals at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 in Lagos, as well as its terminal at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The development forced the airline to suspend scheduled departures from the two airports, leaving passengers stranded and throwing travel plans into uncertainty.
Air Peace Management said the disruption resulted from the barricading of entrances to its terminals by the protesting unions, which effectively prevented scheduled flights from operating.
The airline apologised to affected passengers, describing the situation as circumstances beyond its control.
It said passengers scheduled to travel later in the day were being contacted as the situation developed, while the airline continued to monitor the industrial action.
The picketing was led by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), with the backing of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
ATSSSAN National President, Comrade John Ogbe, said the action followed the expiration of successive 14-day, seven-day and three-day ultimatums issued to address the union’s grievances.
The union’s demands centre on the remittance of the five per cent TSC and the alleged restriction of aviation workers’ rights to join trade unions.
ATSSSAN also accused airlines of resisting the unionisation of their employees, arguing that such restrictions violate workers’ rights to organise and engage in collective bargaining under International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 98.
According to Ogbe, a meeting convened by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to resolve the dispute failed to produce a solution after the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) allegedly declined to attend.
However, Tuesday’s action was specifically targeted at Air Peace, with the picketing resulting in immediate disruption to the airline’s operations in Lagos and Abuja.
The development left passengers at the two airports scrambling for information about their flights, with the airline advising affected travellers to await updates on their travel arrangements.
Air Peace said it would continue to monitor the situation and provide further information as developments unfold.