Air Peace Battles Union Picketing

On August 11, 2026, passengers of Air Peace airline were stranded at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, after being obstructed by picketing union staff. The disruption also affected United Nigeria Airlines and Enugu Air, forcing them to temporarily suspend operations. With over 80 cancelled flights across these airports,  the affected airlines are estimated to have lost a cumulative 80 billion naira . The industrial action has generated agitation from the major stakeholders, including passengers, affected airlines, and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Meanwhile, Air Peace is stuck in the middle of the action as its services were significantly affected, and some of the airline’s ground services staff attested to being assaulted by the union staff. 

This union eruption is a build on an earlier seven-day ultimatum issued in July, 2026. The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) accused the airlines of refusing to remit the statutory 5% Ticket Sales Charge to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), despite continuous deduction from passengers. The Ticket Sales Charge is a mandatory levy added to every domestic airline ticket, which airlines are expected to hand over to the NCAA for subsequent distribution. 

The charges are essential for regulating industry processes and aiding the funding of aviation agencies. Therefore, the non-remittance of these funds has deeply annoyed union workers who believe the airlines are compromising the welfare of aviation workers, and neglecting collective bargains.  The unions warned that if their complaints were not properly attended to, they would disrupt airline operations. To this, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) pushed back, explaining that such actions will only be a disservice to the passengers. The AON also denied the allegations of unremitted charges, claiming that the unions were grossly misinformed, and urged them to use proper channels that would not inconvenience travellers.

In addition to the sales charge grievance, the unions also expressed dissatisfaction with the airlines’ attitude towards staff members joining them. The unions explained that some airline workers were terrified of joining the unions because of the pressure placed on them from their respective  airlines and other concerns about victimisation or discrimination. In light of these issues, the unions demanded reassurance that the airlines will align with their requests and threatened serious action if they are ignored. 

After receiving no positive response or acknowledgement, the unions barricaded the entrances to departure terminals. When the unions took to picketing Air Peace’s operations at the Lagos airport, they were countered by Air Peace staff who claimed they did not want to be part of the unions. This opposition of the unions’ claims by the Air Peace staff resulted in violent action against some workers. In Air Peace’s official statement, they explained that the flight disruptions were beyond their control and they were working to resettle affected passengers. 

The NCAA assured travelers that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, was actively working towards resolving the issue. An earlier deliberation had been scheduled, but the airline operators had shirked the invitation. Still, the Authority expressed regret over the turn of events and admonished the involved parties to uphold dialogic negotiations. Meanwhile, members of the union promised to hold a meeting to review the industrial action and warned that another airline might be targeted if their demands are ignored again. According to the Aviation Round Table (ART), the union’s disruptive actions are a direct violation of the constitution. The Civil Aviation Act requires that airline services are not to be intentionally tampered with, thereby prohibiting strikes, pickets and blockades. Travelers remain uncertain of what future flights hold especially with the matter remaining largely unresolved.