The Federal Government apologized to air travelers on Wednesday for the National Union of Air Transport Employees and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria’s strike, which halted inbound and outbound flights.
It also promised to enforce the section of the Civil Aviation Act (2022) that prohibits employees from going on strike in the future.
“First and foremost, we apologize to our throngs of passengers during this trying time. There are other ways to channel issues when they arise, but they are not permitted to strike because aviation is a critical service,” Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation, told State House Correspondents after exiting the Council Chambers on Wednesday.
Local and international flights were disrupted for several hours on Monday as employees of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company went on strike over low pay.
Previously, the disgruntled employees had served NAHCO management with a five-day strike notice.
They requested, among other things, a 100% pay increase following the sector’s general upward review of ground handling changes.
According to The PUNCH, NAHCO management had approached the court to prevent the impending strike.
Nonetheless, the workers withdrew their services by 12:00 a.m. Monday, stranding hundreds of passengers and airlines.
All foreign airlines on the morning schedule at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos were affected.
RwandAir, Qatar Airlines, and Royal Air Maroc are among them, with some diverting flights to neighboring countries or returning passengers to base.
However, after a 15-hour delay, airlines such as EgyptAir, Asky, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Ethiopia Airlines, and Air Peace began international passenger check-in after 3:00 p.m.
Nonetheless, the workers withdrew their services by 12:00 a.m. Monday, stranding hundreds of passengers and airlines.
All foreign airlines on the morning schedule at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos were affected.
RwandAir, Qatar Airlines, and Royal Air Maroc are among them, with some diverting flights to neighboring countries or returning passengers to base.
However, after a 15-hour delay, airlines such as EgyptAir, Asky, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Ethiopia Airlines, and Air Peace began international passenger check-in after 3:00 p.m.
“This is critical for the traveling public. First and foremost, we apologize to them; our thronging passengers in this trying time.
“Second, by the grace of God, this will not happen in the future. And the reason is straightforward: aviation is a critical service. Mr. President has signed the Act, so strikes and riots near our airports are now illegal under the law.
“Now that the Act has been signed by Mr. President and passed by the National Assembly, we will deal with it in accordance with the law,” he said.
The minister argued that because aviation is a necessary service, the striking workers could express their concerns in less disruptive ways
“We will ensure that no essential service is disrupted by anyone, no matter how aggrieved,” he said. There are other channels for channeling issues when they arise, but they are not permitted to strike because aviation is a necessary service and is now mandated by law.
“As an example, there was an airline that couldn’t land and had to return to base. Consider if there was a patient on board. Consider someone attending to a very serious issue or matter at hand, or a business or a student attempting to catch up on an exam, and then another person dies as a result of someone who is displeased.
“The government will no longer permit that. So it’s in the law, check the Civil Aviation Act, it’s been assented to, and it’s going to happen soon, in fact, we won’t allow it starting today.
“As a government, our ears are always open, the government is open to listening to any grievances and there are procedures for dealing with this kind of grievances. They should please stop doing this. It is incorrect. It is heinous. It is not permitted. It is not permitted, and we will no longer be permitted.”
