Nigerian airlines Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines and Enugu Air reportedly lost more than ₦1 billion on Tuesday following an industrial action by aviation unions that disrupted flight operations and left thousands of passengers stranded at major airports.
The action, involving 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), disrupted operations particularly in Lagos and Abuja.
The unions, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), accused airlines of frustrating workers’ efforts to unionise and failing to remit statutory aviation charges.
More than 80 flights were reportedly cancelled, while several others were suspended or rescheduled as passengers were left stranded at airport terminals.
At the centre of the dispute are the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), Cargo Sales Charge and Charter Sales Charge, which airlines are required to remit to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The unions alleged that some domestic carriers had failed to remit the deductions, thereby affecting the finances of aviation agencies and the implementation of agreements reached on behalf of workers.
The unions had earlier issued notices of picketing and strike following what they described as the failure of affected parties to resolve the dispute.
However, the NCAA Director-General, Capt. Chris Najomo, appealed to the unions to suspend the industrial action and allow dialogue to continue.
The NCAA said the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, was already working to resolve the issues. It also blamed the airlines for allegedly failing to attend a meeting convened by the minister.
Meanwhile, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) rejected the unions’ position, arguing that airlines do not have a direct transactional relationship with the unions regarding TSC remittances.
The association described the dispute as being fuelled by misinformation and stressed that domestic airlines were already facing significant financial pressure from high aviation costs, including rising jet fuel prices and multiple regulatory charges.
The Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) also condemned the industrial action, describing the disruption as excessive and particularly concerning because of the reported targeting of Air Peace.
The organisation argued that the recovery of statutory debts and enforcement of penalties were responsibilities of government agencies rather than organised labour.
ASRTI warned that continued disruption of airport operations could undermine public confidence in the Nigerian aviation sector, affect passengers and discourage potential investors.
The group therefore urged the unions to pursue their grievances through established legal and dispute-resolution channels rather than disrupting flight operations.
The airlines affected by the industrial action have apologised to passengers and assured them that normal operations would resume once the dispute is resolved.
