Air Peace flights grounded as Aviation Unions begin strike over ticket levy

Operations of Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline, have been disrupted by aviation unions, leaving several passengers stranded at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

The disruption followed a three-day strike notice issued by the Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) on August 4 over the airline’s alleged failure to remit outstanding five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) payments.

The unions on Monday stopped Air Peace’s operations at the old terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, in a move aimed at compelling the airline to settle the outstanding levy.

The TSC is a statutory charge imposed on commercial airline tickets in Nigeria. Airlines collect the levy from passengers and remit it to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), with the funds distributed among key aviation agencies to support regulatory oversight, safety and industry infrastructure.

Addressing passengers affected by the disruption, ATSSAN General Secretary, Frances Akinjole, described Air Peace as a “recalcitrant airline” and said the unions were compelled to take action after other attempts to resolve the dispute failed.

“It has never been in our character to stop operations. But when our lives and existence are involved, we have no other choice,” Akinjole said.

He added that although other airlines were also allegedly involved in the issue, the unions chose to begin with Air Peace because of what he described as its persistent refusal to comply.

“What you are seeing here today, it is not only Air Peace that is culpable. But there is a reason we have started with Air Peace; it is the most stubborn. Air Peace is the template that other recalcitrant airlines are using,” he said.

The industrial action left passengers who had arrived at the airport for scheduled flights stranded.

One affected passenger told Vanguard: “I had a flight for 7:00 AM. Against all odds (traffic), I made it right on time, only to find out that the union guys have stopped Airpeace from flying today. Everyone is stranded. It is painful.”

NCAA Appeals for Dialogue

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority said it was aware of the disruption and appealed to the unions and other parties involved to resolve the dispute through dialogue.

The NCAA Director-General, Captain Chris Ona Najomo, said the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been actively working to resolve the matter.

According to a statement issued by the NCAA, the dispute could have been addressed at a meeting convened by the minister the previous week, but the meeting could not hold because airline operators failed to attend.

“The matter would have been addressed at the meeting convened by the Minister last week, but the meeting could not be held as the airline operators failed to honour the invitation,” the statement said.

The NCAA assured passengers that the industrial dispute had not compromised flight safety.

“The NCAA assures the travelling public that flight safety remains uncompromised and that the Authority continues to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities,” it said.

The aviation regulator appealed to all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation, expressing confidence that the dispute would be resolved and normal flight operations restored as soon as practicable.