The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has threatened to shut down operations nationwide if aviation unions disrupt the operations of any of its member airlines.
The warning followed the disruption of Air Peace operations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on 11 August, which left passengers stranded and disrupted dozens of flights.
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The AON issued the warning in a communiqué on Monday, saying the incident raised security and operational concerns that could affect the wider aviation sector.
The association described the August action as a “violent disruptive action”, and alleged that union members blocked access to Air Peace departure terminals, check-in counters, offices and workstations at the two airports.
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It said some airline workers were also injured during the incident.
Impact of disruption
The AON said the disruption had consequences beyond the dispute between airlines and labour unions because it affected passengers, airline workers and airport operations.
According to the association, more than 70 Air Peace flights were affected, with the airline’s losses estimated at more than N2 billion.
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More than 30 United Nigeria Airlines flights were also affected, impacting about 13,000 passengers, the association said.
The affected airlines had to cancel or reschedule flights, rebook passengers and provide accommodation and other assistance.
The AON said operators also incurred additional costs from repositioning aircraft and crew and recovering disrupted operations.
It warned that any repeat of the August incident against an AON member would trigger an industry-wide shutdown.
“To this end, therefore, the AON would like to state in unequivocal terms that should the events of August 11, 2026, repeat themselves against any domestic airline, the entire AON member airlines will immediately shut down operations,” the association said.
What triggered August disruption
The 11 August action followed a dispute between aviation unions and airlines over the payment of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and the unionisation of airline workers.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the unions had accused airlines of failing to remit the charge collected from passengers to the relevant aviation agencies and alleged that some airlines were preventing their workers from joining trade unions.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, picketed Air Peace operations in Lagos and Abuja.
The action resulted in passengers being stranded and flights being disrupted. Air Peace said at the time that access to its departure terminals had been barricaded.
The unions later suspended the picketing following the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
The AON and the unions have since maintained different positions on the dispute.
The association has said airlines were already operating under payment arrangements with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) over outstanding charges. The unions, however, have maintained that their concerns also include workers’ freedom to belong to trade unions.
At a recent aviation industry conference, AON spokesperson Obiora Okonkwo said the August action targeted Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines and that airlines had been making payments under an agreed arrangement with the NCAA.
ATSSSAN President John Ogbe, however, said the unions’ position was aimed at promoting cooperation and protecting workers’ rights rather than disrupting airline operations.
Airlines cite operational challenges
Beyond the dispute with labour unions, the AON said airlines were already facing several operational challenges that contribute to flight delays and cancellations.
The association listed bad weather, congested aircraft parking areas at Lagos and Abuja airports, limited operating hours at some secondary airports, VIP movements, bird strikes, foreign object damage, fuel shortages, inefficient air traffic flow and inadequate airport infrastructure among the factors affecting operations.
It said Jet A1 aviation fuel costs more than N2,500 per litre and that supply remained unreliable at some secondary airports.
The operators noted that flight disruptions were not in their interest because airlines also bear financial and reputational costs when passengers are delayed or flights are cancelled.
The latest position comes amid increased scrutiny of flight delays in Nigeria.
The NCAA recently reported that 7,961 domestic flights were operated in August, of which 4,765 were delayed and 36 cancelled.
Air Peace was listed with 1,330 delayed flights out of 1,864 flights in the regulator’s dataset. The airline disputed the figures, saying it operated 2,564 flights during the month and that more than 700 flights were not captured.
Security concerns
The AON also described the August disruption as a security concern, arguing that the ease with which access to airline terminals was blocked exposed weaknesses in airport security arrangements.
READ ALSO: AON seeks review of aviation taxes, economic boycott of South Africa
The association referred to the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Annex 17 on aviation security and described the incident as unlawful interference with airline operations.
It called for a review of security procedures and emergency response arrangements at airports to prevent similar disruptions.
The AON said the protection of passengers, airline workers and aircraft must remain a priority regardless of disputes between airlines and labour unions.
The association also welcomed the ongoing reconstruction of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos but called for airlines to be involved in the design and planning process.
It said the experience of airlines operating at the airport could help identify potential problems affecting passenger movement, aircraft operations and the overall efficiency of the facility.
The association added that closer coordination between airlines, airport authorities, regulators and other aviation stakeholders would be necessary to address operational challenges across the sector.
The warning of a nationwide shutdown comes amid continuing concerns over flight disruptions, high operating costs and infrastructure constraints in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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