Precious Nwonu, Enugu
Domestic airlines operating under the Airline Operators of Nigeria have threatened to suspend operations nationwide if aviation unions or other groups disrupt the activities of any of their members again.
The warning followed the disruption of Air Peace operations at airports in Lagos and Abuja on August 11, 2026.
The AON issued the warning in a communiqué released after its general meeting in Abuja and made available to journalists on Monday.
The association condemned the action, describing it as a “violent disruptive action” that affected airline operations and left passengers stranded.
According to the operators, union members blocked access to Air Peace departure terminals, check-in counters, offices and workstations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminals 1 and 2 in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The AON said the action brought flight operations at the affected airports to a halt and went beyond a labour dispute because of its impact on passengers, airline employees and airport security.
The dispute between the airlines and aviation unions has centred on several issues, including the payment of statutory funds to government agencies.
The unions have argued that the failure of airlines to remit the required funds could have implications for aviation safety. They have also accused some airlines of preventing workers from joining unions.
The AON, however, said the August 11 disruption resulted in violence against some airline workers, with some employees allegedly sustaining injuries while attempting to carry out their duties.
The disruption also had financial consequences for passengers and airlines, according to the association.
It said flights were cancelled or disrupted, leaving travellers stranded and forcing airlines to rebook passengers, provide accommodation and process refunds.
The association said more than 70 Air Peace flights were affected, resulting in estimated losses of over N2bn.
It added that more than 30 United Nigeria Airlines flights were also disrupted, affecting approximately 13,000 passengers.
Airlines also incurred additional expenses from crew repositioning, aircraft rescheduling and other measures required to restore normal operations.
The AON said the financial impact came at a difficult time for domestic carriers, which were already dealing with high aviation fuel prices and increased maintenance costs linked to foreign exchange fluctuations.
Airlines Issue Shutdown Warning
Against this backdrop, the airline operators said their members had agreed to respond collectively to any further disruption.
The association stated that any repeat of the August 11 incident against a domestic airline would result in an industry-wide suspension of operations.
“To this end therefore, the AON would like to state in unequivocal terms that should the events of August 11, 2026, repeat themselves again against any domestic airline, the entire AON member airlines will immediately shut down operations,” the communiqué stated.
The operators also raised concerns about airport security, saying the ability of union members to block access to airline facilities exposed weaknesses in existing security arrangements.
The AON referred to the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Annex 17, which addresses unlawful interference with civil aviation, and said the incident raised concerns for the aviation industry in Nigeria.
### Airlines Explain Flight Disruptions
The operators also addressed the frequent delays and cancellations experienced by passengers, rejecting suggestions that airlines deliberately keep passengers waiting or cancel flights.
According to the AON, airlines also suffer financial and reputational losses whenever flights are delayed or cancelled.
The association attributed disruptions to several factors, including bad weather, congestion in aircraft parking areas at Lagos and Abuja airports, restricted operating hours at some secondary airports and VIP movements.
Other factors listed were bird strikes, foreign object damage, fuel shortages, inefficient air traffic flow and inadequate airport infrastructure.
The association said the price of Jet A1 aviation fuel had risen above N2,500 per litre, while supply remained unreliable at some secondary airports.
AON Seeks Input On Lagos Airport Reconstruction
The AON welcomed the ongoing reconstruction of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos but called for airlines to be involved at an early stage of the design process.
The operators said airline representatives should be consulted during the planning and design of airport facilities to help identify potential problems that could affect the movement of passengers and aircraft.
The association said greater collaboration between airport authorities, airlines, unions and other stakeholders would help address operational challenges and reduce disruptions across the domestic aviation sector.