Aviation Strike Disrupts Flights Nationwide as Airport Terminals Face Labour Blockade

Flight operations were thrown into disarray across Nigeria on Tuesday as aviation unions stepped up industrial action, forcing airlines to cancel or reschedule flights while authorities worked to limit the disruption to passengers and airport activities.

The industrial action involved picketing and the blocking of airport terminals by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

The action affected access to major airport facilities in Lagos and Abuja, leaving passengers unable to reach departure terminals and disrupting scheduled flight operations.

Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline by fleet size, was among the carriers affected by the development. The airline said its operations were temporarily disrupted after union members blocked access to its departure terminals.

According to the airline, the entrances to its departure facilities at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1, including the Alpha and Zulu terminals, Terminal 2 in Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport terminal in Abuja were barricaded.

Air Peace said the blockade prevented passengers and flight crew members from gaining access to the affected terminals, making it impossible for scheduled flights to operate from Lagos and Abuja.

The disruption also affected onward connections across the airline’s network as flights could not depart as scheduled.

A Lagos flight originally scheduled to leave at 6:30am was among those affected after the labour action commenced.

Air Peace apologised to passengers caught up in the disruption and said it was reaching out to travellers scheduled to fly later in the day while monitoring developments and providing updates.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) moved to manage the consequences of the industrial action and reduce its impact on airport users.

The development has heightened concerns among travellers, particularly those with time-sensitive domestic connections, as airlines continue to assess the operational implications of the terminal blockades.

Passengers were advised to stay in contact with their respective airlines for updated flight information as the industrial action continued.

The latest disruption underscores the vulnerability of Nigeria’s aviation sector to industrial disputes, with even temporary restrictions at major terminals capable of affecting flight schedules and passenger movements across the country.