Passengers were stranded in Abuja, Lagos and Enugu on Tuesday after aviation unions disrupted the operations of Air Peace over allegations that the airline was frustrating workers’ efforts to unionise and withholding ticket sales charges due to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The industrial action, led by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), was backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The protest reportedly affected about 70 flights, causing major disruptions to Air Peace’s network.
Amid the picketing, an Air Peace driver may face prosecution after allegedly driving a large bus onto the airside of the airport.
The NCAA confirmed the incident and said the vehicle allegedly obstructed movement within the restricted area before it was removed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the authority had ordered that the driver be identified and arrested for possible prosecution.
According to him, blocking movement within the airside was a serious safety violation that would be investigated under the relevant provisions of the aviation laws.
Air Peace spokesman Efe Whiskey-Osifo denied that the bus blocked the runway, insisting that the allegation was inaccurate.
The unions said the action was prompted by the alleged non-remittance of the 5 per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and by claims that Air Peace was preventing workers from forming and joining unions.
A NUATE official, who spoke anonymously, alleged that airlines belonging to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) owed about N25 billion in outstanding TSC remittances, with Air Peace accounting for approximately N15 billion.
The official said the unions were demanding payment of the charges and respect for workers’ constitutional right to organise.
The TSC is collected from passengers on every airline ticket and is required by law to be remitted to the NCAA for distribution among aviation agencies to support their operations.
Air Peace rejected the allegations, maintaining that it had remitted the required charges to the NCAA and questioning why its operations were singled out for disruption while other airlines continued to fly.
Whiskey-Osifo said the unions targeted the airline’s key operational hubs in Lagos, Abuja and Enugu, effectively grounding most of its network.
He also claimed that Air Peace employees had voluntarily chosen not to join the unions and that workers had staged a peaceful protest before union members allegedly disrupted the situation.
The unions, however, insisted that workers’ right to unionise was non-negotiable.
According to the NCAA spokesperson, the AON appealed for the picketing to be suspended to allow a meeting with the affected airlines, particularly Air Peace, whose chairman is also a senior official of the association.
Achimugu said the unions had been informed that discussions could take place on Wednesday.
He added that the industrial action affected several airlines operating from the affected terminals in Lagos and Abuja, including Aero Contractors and others sharing the same facilities.
By Tuesday evening, Air Peace said it had begun restoring operations and that flights would continue despite the disruption.
