Aviation workers suspend strike after grounding international flight operations

Aviation workers suspended their strike hours after grounding international flight operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Monday.

Workers of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, PLC, NAHCO embarked on strike in protest of salary increments and abysmal welfare despite over 100 per cent airfare hikes.

Hundreds of passengers were seen stranded and frustrated at the Lagos Airport, in a viral video on Monday.

Some international air travelers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (NAIA) on Monday confirmed flight delays as Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) embarks on strike.

The travelers, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that they were left unattended to while some flights were grounded.

Miss Jennifer Osezele, a Master’s student in UK said her flight scheduled with Qatar Airways for 3.20p.m. had been rescheduled to 1a.m. due to the strike.

Osezele lamented that by the reschuling of the flight, she would be spending hours at the airport before her new departure time.

“The staff did not attend to any passengers. I have been here with my friends about three hours now for an international flight scheduled for 3:20 p.m. to Manchester by Qatar Airways.

“If the flight is to be cancelled, at least they should have let us known on time. Later, we received information that our fight had been rescheduled till 1a.m. So we are going to be here for a long time.

“That means I am going to spend about 12 hours at the airport. There are people here with kids. Their kids are crying. They don’t know what to do; if to return home or to stay, “ she said.

Mr Subhas Chamdma, who was going to Delhi, India with the Ethiopian Airlines said his flight departure real time was 1.25 p.m. but it was changed to 6.40p.m. due to the unexpected strike by the union.

“I have been here since morning. I am going to Delhi. The management needs to address the problem so that passengers can easily fly to their destination.

“We did not receive any information from them for long before the flight delay message came in,” he said.

Comrade Nacy Msigekii, the branch Chairman, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Abuja told NAN that the strike was due to salary increment.

He said that NAHCO staff in the early hours embarked on strike across the country, so they resolved not to handle any passengers.

According to him, NAHCO handles check-in, boarding and ramp services for several international airlines such as Air France/ KLM, Qatar, Ethiopian Airlines, Delta Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Air.

However, the strike has been suspended by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN.

The Deputy General Secretary, ATSSSAN, Frances Akinjole, told the media on Monday.

“It’s been suspended, and they’ve(NAHCO) agreed to commence negotiation on the salary issue with us,” he said.

Earlier in a statement in Lagos, on Monday, NAHCO expressed regrets over the incident and pledged to resolve the crisis.

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The statement was signed by NAHCO, Executive Director, Dr Olusola Obabori.

Consider at least 10% salary increase for workers- Expert tells NAHCO

Reacting to the development, on Monday, an industry expert and Executive Secretary of Aviation Round Table, ART, Group Cpt John Ojikutu called on the NCAA to intervene in the crisis before it gets worse.

He explained staff salary increments would have been part of the consideration when Airplane Operators of Nigeria, AON, hiked airfare prices by more than 100 per cent.

Ojikuku said at least 10 per cent of the over 100 per cent airfare raise should be allotted for staff’s salary increment.

He stated that the NCAA should use its oversight function to ease the crisis that tends to cripple the Nigerian aviation industry and the country’s economy.

“However, I have said that issues like this should not bring it to the terminal but rather the management; here, NAHCO should tackle the matter.

“The airlines should let the public know this is the problem, and the NCAA should also speak up.

“We ridicule ourselves to the global community. The NCAA should come out and exercise its oversight function. This is not the business Nigeria lawmakers should summon on; It is not the job of the national assembly to intervene in such a minus issue; it is the function of the NCAA.

“When tariff increases, there should be an increase in staff’s welfare also. These are the things the NCAA should consider.

“I would expect that the NCAA would raise the salary issue for staff, but they didn’t. The NCAA should come in to solve the matter because international airlines are affected; you can imagine the implication on foreign earnings from the aviation sector.

“If airfare is increased to over 100%, what about your staff salary? Everything about aviation is global; If you’ve collected 100% in airfares, at least 10% should be allotted to workers’ salaries”.

NAN