Nigerian airlines Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines and Enugu Air lost more than N1 billion on Tuesday after aviation unions grounded over 80 flights, stranding thousands of passengers.
The industrial action, led by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, began early Tuesday and targeted Air Peace operations in Lagos and Abuja before spreading.
Unions, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, accused airlines of blocking staff from unionising and failing to remit the five percent Ticket Sales Charge and other statutory levies owed to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.
The Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative criticised the action as disruptive and selective.
“The enforcement of statutory penalties and the recovery of debts owed to regulatory agencies remain the exclusive statutory mandate of the Federal Government and its empowered institutions, and the Nigerian Labour Congress and its allies have clearly overstepped their bounds,” the group said.
It cited Section 29 of the Civil Aviation Act, which designates airport services as essential and prohibits strikes or pickets within aerodromes, and Section 18 of the Trade Disputes Act barring industrial action during mediation.
NCAA Director General Capt. Chris Najomo urged the unions to suspend the action and allow dialogue, noting that Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo was working to resolve the dispute. The regulator blamed airlines for failing to attend a meeting convened by the minister the previous week.
Airline Operators of Nigeria argued that carriers have no direct relationship with the unions over the charges and are already under financial pressure from high jet fuel costs and regulatory fees.
