Air Peace Airlines says it has lost over N2 billion to the disruption of its flight by three aviation unions , whose members carried out picketing on its business operations at the Lagos and Abuja Airports on Tuesday
Chief Operating Officer of the Airline, Oluwatoyin Olajide in a press briefing on Wednesday in Lahos, said over 85 percent of its daily flights were not operated on account of the industrial action, as the airline operates over 100 flights daily across its route network.
The Airline said the appalling disruptive activity by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) , violated the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulation (NCAR) Security regulation, describing it as an act of unlawful interference punishable under extant aviation regulations.
Olajide, said the airline is considering placing the union members on a “No Fly List “, or pushing for their possible arrest abroad if the matter is taken up appropriately.
She said the union members should be severely cautioned , placed under watch and advised never to cross the red lines again.
Olajide said the indiscriminate industrial action was unwarranted because the violence, intimidation and disruption meted out on the airline and its employees, is not only
deeply disturbing , but raises fundamental questions that demand answers.
She said the reasons cited by the union members: Five percent Ticket Sales Charge remittance and lack of unionisation of its employees – for picketing the airline , are untenable , because the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has publicly stated that airlines, and not Air Peace alone, are complying with the directives of the authority regarding the applicable payment.
Olajide said : ” This therefore raises a fundamental question: if the issue is industry-wide, why was Air Peace singled out for violent and disruptive picketing?
On unionization, over 98 percent of Nigerian airlines do not have unions. The staff of Air Peace have made it abundantly clear that they do not wish to form any union within Air Peace. This is within their constitutional rights, as Air Peace did not stop them. They chose that path. So why this violence meted out on Air Peace?
” It is quite disturbing and curious that the same union members were seen in the videos urging passengers and the flying public not to be flying Air Peace again but the other airlines, the same other airlines that are owing debts to NCAA and the same airlines that are also not Unionised! The Federal Government must investigate this.
” Yesterday, some of our employees were physically assaulted while peacefully expressing that choice, including a female employee who was left bleeding and bruised. We ask: how can workers’ rights be defended by violently attacking workers exercising their own constitutional rights?”
The Air Peace COO said the incident raises serious questions about airport security, wondering how union members as individuals were able to gain access to and disrupt operations within a highly controlled airport environment.
She said : ” Airports are sensitive national assets, and such violence should never be allowed to occur with impunity. The incident has also caused concern among our international partners and aircraft lessors and raises legitimate questions about confidence in Nigeria’s aviation business environment.
The disruption has caused significant financial damage to Air Peace, estimated at over ₦2 billion, while thousands of passengers had their journeys disrupted. Our passengers equally have constitutional rights, including the right to travel without unlawful interference.
” Air Peace has consistently supported Nigerians during difficult times and contributed significantly to the development of the country’s aviation industry. It is therefore unfortunate that an airline that has repeatedly stood with the nation should be subjected to such indiscriminate disruption.”
Olajide also described the incident as an infraction that should be properly addressed by relevant authorities.
” What happened yesterday was a flagrant disrespect and disregard of extant laws and the subsisting judgement of the Federal High Court of Nigeria obtained on the 26th day of April 2024 by the Staff and Employees of Air Peace against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Inspector General of Police and all other unions.
” The judgement declared that it is unlawful and unconstitutional for all these unions to threaten the employees of Air Peace through coercion of their employer, Air Peace Limited, whether directly or indirectly, including through their officers, servants/agents, privies or other third parties, or howsoever to seek to impose membership of the unions upon the employees against their will.
” The court also granted an order of perpetual injunction restraining the unions from harassing the employees of Air Peace by any means at their places of work or any other place and to refrain from causing or instigating any breach of the peace likely to occasion harm to the staff and employers or any threat to their lives and property of Air Peace. The court also ordered the police to ensure compliance with this judgement throughout the federation.
” Our position is therefore unequivocal: our employees have the constitutional right to choose, our passengers have the constitutional right to travel, and Air Peace has the right to operate without unlawful interference.
” We call on the Federal Government, security agencies, airport authorities and aviation regulators to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into yesterday’s events.
We have video evidence and other information that can assist in identifying those responsible for the violence and disruption.
” This is not about being anti-union. It is about constitutional rights, freedom of choice, employee safety, passenger welfare and the rule of law.
” Nigeria’s aviation industry is too important to allow such an incident to become a precedent.”
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