Passengers have been left stranded at airports in Lagos and Abuja after organized labor unions picketed Air Peace facilities over allegations of violating workers’ unionization rights and failing to remit Ticket Sales Charges (TSC) to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Travelers hoping to board early morning Air Peace flights in Abuja starting at 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday were barred from entering.
At the Lagos airport, union officials locked the access gate to the Zulu Terminal.
Consequently, passengers booked on departures from Lagos as early as 6:30 a.m. were unable to board their flights.
Outraged by the sudden disruption, affected travelers took to social media to vent their frustration and share their experiences.
@MamaSwizz1 “NLC at Murtala international airport today, Dear @Airpeace, due to your non compliance with Labor, we passengers have been left stranded at your stand in the airport since 5am this morning. What a shame, my child has an interview this morning.”
Read Also: Air Peace Under Fire as NCAA Summons Airline Over Stranded Passengers
Backstory…
Aviation workers have been threatening airline operators and other groups with a statewide picketing since July if the five percent TSC to the NCAA is not paid.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) issued the ultimatum.
Every aeroplane ticket sold in Nigeria is subject to a mandatory five percent TSC. The NCAA receives the charge to support aviation agency operations.
On August 3, labour unions’ 14-day ultimatum to airline operators on the purported non-remittance of the TSC came to an end.
Additionally, despite prior agreements, the unions claim that several airlines are blocking their employes from openly joining trade unions.
The CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, recently warned aviation unions against starting an industrial action that would cause the aviation sector to be disrupted for an extended period of time.
According to Onyema, domestic airlines deal strictly with NCAA rather than labour unions and operate under rigorous guidelines worldwide.
