Domestic airlines under the Airline Operators of Nigeria have warned that they may suspend operations nationwide if aviation unions or other groups disrupt the activities of any member airline again.
The warning followed the August 11 picketing of Air Peace operations at airports in Lagos and Abuja, which the AON described as a “violent disruptive action”.
The association disclosed this in a communiqué issued after its General Meeting in Abuja and made available to journalists on Monday.
According to the AON, the industrial action brought activities at Terminals 1 and 2 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, “to a screeching halt”.
The association alleged that union members blocked access to Air Peace departure terminals, check-in counters, offices and other workstations during the protest.
The dispute between the unions and airlines centres on statutory payments to government agencies. While airlines have resisted some of the payments, the unions have argued that failure to remit the funds could have implications for aviation safety.
The unions have also accused airlines of preventing workers from joining trade unions, describing the alleged practice as unacceptable.
However, the AON said the August 11 disruption went beyond an industrial disagreement because it affected passengers, airline employees and airport security.
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It reported “recorded cases” of violence against airline workers, claiming that some employees sustained injuries while trying to carry out their duties.
Passengers were also affected, with several flights cancelled or disrupted and travellers left stranded at the airports. Airlines subsequently had to rebook affected passengers, provide accommodation and process refunds.
The AON said more than 70 Air Peace flights were affected, resulting in estimated losses of over ₦2bn. It added that over 30 flights operated by United Nigeria Airlines were also disrupted, affecting approximately 13,000 passengers.
Airlines Threaten Industry-Wide Shutdown
According to the operators, the disruption also generated additional expenses as airlines had to reposition crew, reschedule aircraft and implement other measures to restore normal operations.
The association said these costs came at a difficult time for the industry, with operators already dealing with rising aviation fuel prices and foreign exchange-related maintenance expenses.
The AON subsequently reached a collective position that any similar disruption against one of its members would result in an industry-wide response.
“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 association also described the incident as a major security concern, saying the ease with which access to airline terminals was allegedly blocked raised questions about the effectiveness of security arrangements at the airports.
It referenced the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Annex 17 definition of unlawful interference and said the August incident had “serious immediate and future local and global implications for the aviation sector in Nigeria.”
The airline operators also defended their handling of flight delays and cancellations, saying such disruptions did not benefit carriers because airlines suffer financial and reputational losses whenever passengers are delayed or flights are cancelled.
According to the AON, several factors contribute to delays and cancellations, including “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.”
The association said Jet A1 aviation fuel was now selling for more than ₦2,500 per litre, while supplies remained unreliable at some secondary airports.
While expressing support for the ongoing reconstruction of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the AON urged authorities to involve airlines from the early stages of the project.
The operators argued that their participation in the design process would help identify potential challenges that could affect the movement of passengers and aircraft once the reconstruction is completed.