Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Chaos erupted across Nigeria's two busiest airports on the morning of Tuesday, August 11, 2026, as aviation labour unions, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), shut down all Air Peace operations at both the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, leaving hundreds of domestic and regional passengers stranded and flight schedules in disarray.
The joint action, executed by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), was triggered by two primary grievances against the country's largest domestic carrier: allegations that Air Peace has systematically blocked its workers from freely joining trade unions, and the airline's failure to remit the statutory five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charge (CSC) collected from passengers and owed to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The unions had issued a notice of picketing on August 4, 2026, warning that they were prepared to commence industrial action "at any time without further notice" if their grievances were not addressed. In a subsequent joint statement, the unions described Tuesday's action as a "gesture of restraint," noting that they had given the airline several weeks to resolve the issues in dispute before resorting to the shutdown. "In relaxing the notice of picketing, dated 4th August 2026 by our unions, with a statement that we were ready to strike at anytime without further notice, we hereby magnanimously issued a 3-day Notice of Strike upon the defaulting domestic airlines," the unions stated.
At the heart of the dispute is the allegation that Air Peace and other domestic operators have made it nearly impossible for employees to exercise their constitutional right to join unions of their choice. According to the unions, workers are reportedly too afraid to even express interest in union membership for fear of discrimination, victimisation, or termination. "Making unfettered unionisation of staff in their organisation impossible after several efforts by the aviation unions. Their workers dare not even express the intention to belong to unions of their choices," the unions' statement read.
The second major grievance centres on the non-remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge, a statutory levy imposed on commercial airline tickets in Nigeria. Airlines collect this charge from passengers and are required to remit it to the NCAA, with the funds shared among key aviation agencies to support safety oversight, regulation and industry infrastructure. According to industry reports, Air Peace alone remits approximately N2 billion monthly to the NCAA through the TSC, while other operators contribute significantly to the estimated N3 billion in monthly remittances across the sector. The unions argue that the withholding of these operational funds has stalled the implementation of negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) for agency staff, creating disgruntled workplace conditions that risk flight safety. "This continues to breed disgruntled air transport workers; the implication of which is an accident in the waiting!" the unions warned.
Speaking to stranded passengers at the Lagos airport, ATSSSAN General Secretary, Mr Frances Akinjole, defended the unions' action, describing Air Peace as a "recalcitrant airline" and the "template that other recalcitrant airlines are using". "It has never been in our character to stop operations. But when our lives and existence are involved, we have no other choice," Akinjole said.
One frustrated passenger, who had arrived early for a 7:00 a.m. flight, told Vanguard: "I had a flight for 7:00 AM. Against all odds (traffic), I made it right on time, only to find out that the union guys have stopped Airpeace from flying today. Everyone is stranded. It is painful".
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority moved swiftly to appeal for calm. In a statement dated August 11, 2026, the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Captain Chris Ona Najomo, urged the unions to "sheathe their swords and exercise restraint pending the return of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), who has been actively working towards resolving the issues". Najomo disclosed that the Minister had convened a meeting the previous week to address the dispute, but the meeting could not hold because airline operators failed to honour the invitation. The NCAA assured the travelling public that flight safety remained uncompromised and that the Authority continued to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities.
As of press time, Air Peace had not issued any official public statement regarding the disruption, nor had it outlined rebooking or refund policies for affected passengers. The airline's silence has only added to the frustration of stranded travellers, many of whom were left abandoned at check-in counters with no clear path forward.
The dispute underscores a broader crisis in Nigeria's aviation sector, where tensions between labour unions and domestic operators have been simmering for months. In May 2026, the NCAA placed 11 domestic airlines, including Air Peace, on a "No-Pay-No-Service" list over unpaid statutory charges. That directive was later suspended following industry consultations. However, the underlying issues – including workers' rights to unionise and the remittance of statutory charges – have remained unresolved, culminating in Tuesday's dramatic shutdown.
The labour unions have made their demands clear: they want an immediate circular issued to airline staff affirming their constitutional right to join unions of their choice without fear of termination, victimisation, or discrimination. They also demand the immediate payout of all withheld five per cent TSC revenues to aviation agencies to enable the implementation of agreed-upon worker conditions of service.
As the standoff continues, the NCAA has expressed confidence that normal flight operations will resume shortly once formal talks between the Ministry, the regulatory authority, airline management, and labour leaders reconvene. However, with Air Peace yet to respond to the unions' demands, and the Minister still out of the country, the prospect of an immediate resolution appears uncertain.
For the hundreds of passengers left stranded at Lagos and Abuja airports on Tuesday morning, the disruption was a stark reminder that when labour disputes escalate, it is the travelling public that bears the heaviest burden. As one passenger put it, "Everyone is stranded. It is painful." Whether the pain will be short-lived or prolonged depends entirely on whether Air Peace and the unions can find common ground before the next flight is scheduled to depart.
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