Domestic airlines under the umbrella of the Airline Operators of Nigeria have threatened to shut down operations nationwide if unions again disrupt the operations of any member airline, following the picketing of Air Peace flights in Lagos and Abuja on August 11
The warning was contained in a communiqué issued after the AON General Meeting in Abuja and made available to journalists on Monday, in which airline operators condemned what they described as “violent disruptive action” by aviation unions and other groups.
The association said the August 11 action brought operations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminals 1 and 2 in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, “to a screeching halt”, after union members allegedly blocked access to Air Peace departure terminals, check-in counters, offices and workstations.
Recall that the union and the airlines have been at loggerheads over the refusal of airlines to pay statutory funds to government agencies, a development the unions say is capable of threatening safety.
The union also accused the airlines of stopping workers from unionising, a development the workers described as unacceptable.
According to the AON, the disruption was more than an industrial dispute because it affected passengers, airline workers and airport security.
The association further said there were “recorded cases” of violence against airline staff, with some workers allegedly sustaining bodily injuries while attempting to perform their duties.
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