Air Peace Demands FG Probe After Airport Picketing, Records ₦2bn Loss

• Air Peace says it lost more than ₦2 billion after aviation unions’ airport picketing crippled its operations, urging the Federal Government to launch a full-scale investigation into the disruption.

• The airline alleges it was unfairly singled out over industry-wide disputes on Ticket Sales Charges and workers’ unionisation, despite the NCAA’s position that other airlines are also complying with payment directives.

• Air Peace accuses union members of intimidating passengers and encouraging them to boycott the airline in favour of rival carriers, describing the actions as damaging to its reputation and business.

• The carrier insists industrial disputes should be resolved through lawful engagement, warning that the disruption has exposed the aviation sector to significant operational and economic risks.

August 13, () — Air Peace has called on the Federal Government, security agencies and aviation regulators to investigate what it described as the violent and unlawful picketing of its operations by aviation unions, saying the industrial action inflicted losses exceeding ₦2 billion and severely disrupted flight operations across Nigeria.

The demand comes days after members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) disrupted Air Peace operations at major airports, grounding flights and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded on Tuesday.

Addressing journalists at a media briefing in Lagos, Air Peace Chief Operating Officer, Mrs Oluwatoyin Olajide, described the protest as violent, disruptive and targeted, insisting that the airline had become the sole victim of grievances that affected the entire aviation industry.

According to her, beyond the financial losses, the airline was alarmed by what it considered an orchestrated attempt to cripple its operations and damage its reputation.

“We have suffered losses in excess of ₦2 billion from this industrial action. Beyond the financial impact, we are deeply concerned about the manner in which the picketing was carried out and the implications for aviation safety, passenger confidence and the rule of law”, she said.

Olajide said the unions justified the industrial action on two grounds—alleged indebtedness by airlines over the five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) payable to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the alleged refusal of airlines to allow workers to unionise.

She, however, argued that neither issue was peculiar to Air Peace.

Citing recent comments by NCAA Director-General, Capt. Chris Ona Najomo, she said airlines across the industry were complying with the Authority’s directives on the payment of the Ticket Sales Charge.

“On the 5% TSC, the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has publicly stated that the airlines, and not Air Peace alone, are complying with the directives of the NCAA regarding the applicable payment. This therefore raises a fundamental question: if the issue is industry-wide, why was Air Peace singled out for violent and disruptive picketing?” she asked.

On the issue of unionisation, Olajide maintained that the airline had never prevented its employees from joining or forming labour unions.

She argued that the decision to unionise rests with employees and not management, stressing that Air Peace workers had voluntarily chosen not to establish a union within the airline.

“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. Air Peace did not stop them. They chose that path”, she stated.

She further noted that the overwhelming majority of domestic airlines in Nigeria currently operate without workers’ unions.

Airline Alleges Campaign to Boycott Its Services

The airline also accused union members of using the protest to discourage members of the public from patronising Air Peace.

Olajide said video recordings from the picketing showed protesters allegedly urging passengers to avoid Air Peace and instead fly with competing airlines.

“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”, she said.

She described the alleged conduct as anti-competitive and damaging to the airline’s commercial interests, warning that such actions could erode passenger confidence and undermine fair competition within the aviation industry.

Calls for Government Investigation

Air Peace urged the Federal Government, security agencies and relevant aviation authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the industrial action, determine whether any laws or existing court orders were violated and identify individuals responsible for acts of violence, intimidation or disruption recorded during the protests.

The airline maintained that labour disputes should be resolved through lawful dialogue and established legal processes rather than actions capable of paralysing airport operations and inconveniencing thousands of travellers.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the interests of passengers and employees while continuing to cooperate with regulatory authorities.