Management of Air Peace Limited has lamented the losses being incurred as a result of deliberate attacks on its operations at Lagos Airport by labour unions in the country,
Air Peace positioned that apart from losing about N700 million to the deliberate disruption, the airline would have to tackle further flight disruptions and cancellations running to days as a result of the action of unions.
In a statement obtained from the management of the West African leading airline, members of two major labour unions in Nigeria, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) invaded the domestic terminal of Lagos Airport to disrupt flight operations scheduled for Sam Mbakwe International Airport Owerri, Imo State to register their grievances against Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma
“Today, May 3, 2023, the NLC and TUC officials stormed the Lagos Airport and took over our check-in counters, disrupting all our operations because of an alleged misunderstanding they had with Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State. They had written us yesterday, saying that no flight should be operated into Owerri today because, as alleged, Governor Uzodinma disrupted their May Day activities few days ago, ” the airline said.
The airline which debunked having any affiliation with the state government or Governor Uzodinma wondered while it is being selected for the attack and prevented from carrying out its contractual obligations to the flying members of the public.
“Air Peace has no affiliation whatsoever with the Imo State Government or Governor Uzodinma. Our duty and commitment are to the Nigerian flying public that have paid us. We have a contract with them to deliver. This morning, they carried out a selective attack on Air Peace, took over our counters and disrupted our operations,” the airline lamented.
Alleging that the disruption of its operations were deliberate, Air Peace affirmed that the losses incurred from 110 disrupted by the labour unions is in the threshold of of N700 million even as it envisaged that the action of the labour unions would lead to further disruptions and cancellations of its operations across the country which may spill over to many days ahead.
“While they were doing this, another Nigerian airline was allowed to operate into and out of Owerri. They are disrupting over 110 flights of Air Peace. This particular illegal action of NLC and TUC will lead to over N700m loss to the airline. It will equally lead to massive disruptions and cancellations of our flights across the country today, and that will snowball into the coming days, too,” Air Peace noted.
It continued, “This is not the first time the NLC or unions will be attacking Air Peace for issues that have no bearing with the airline. There was a time they attacked Air Peace because they were protesting minimum wage with the Federal Government. While the minimum wage was 18,000 naira then, the minimum wage at Air Peace was even 50,000 naira.
“It is more worrisome that the security agencies are watching while an airline that is discharging its duties to the country is being harassed and hounded by unions at these airports.
“We do not understand why Air Peace and aviation should be selected for this kind of treatment. If they have a grouse against Governor Uzodinma, that should be taken to Imo State. Why are they not stopping road transport workers who are going to Imo State?
“Aviation borders on national security and Nigeria has been made a laughing stock in the world.
“We use this opportunity to alert the Nigerian flying public that all our flights will be disrupted today and in the coming days because cancellations will follow. Any flight we fail to operate today due to this illegal occupation of our operations will lead to cancellations in most sunset airports. Who is going to take responsibility for this? We feel highly unprotected.”
