Air Peace has resumed flight operations after aviation unions disrupted its services at major airports across the country on Tuesday.
The airline’s spokesperson, Efe Whiskey, disclosed in a phone interview on Tuesday, saying flights had commenced despite the picketing of the airline’s facilities by aviation unions.
“We are operating flights already. Flights will operate today irrespective of the situation,” Whiskey said.
According to him, the unions picketed Air Peace operations in Lagos, Abuja and Enugu, which he described as major hubs for the airline.
“The unions picketed our operations across board. Lagos, Enugu, Abuja. However, at some other stations, they were not able to go. Stopping those places, which are our hubs, those places where we do night stops,” he said.
Whiskey alleged that Air Peace was specifically targeted because its employees had refused to join the unions.
“Because they wanted to picket us because we are not joining their union. They stated that we are owing them a 5% TSC. But we’ve already paid that to the regulatory body, which is NCAA. So we don’t even know why they are picketing us,” he said.
He also questioned why Air Peace was singled out when the unions had announced plans to picket Nigerian airlines over the dispute.
“These people stated that they were going to picket all Nigerian airlines. However, the likes of Ibom Air, Enugu Air, even Aero, operated flights today. And you solely picked on only Air Peace,” Whiskey said.
The airline spokesperson maintained that Air Peace had been making the required payments and insisted that its workers remained opposed to joining the unions.
“We’ve been paying these unions. We’ve been paying them. So, why did you single out Air Peace?” he asked.
The development followed an industrial action by aviation unions over the alleged non-remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and concerns over workers’ right to unionise.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria had earlier issued notices to airlines over alleged outstanding payments and threatened to picket defaulting operators.
The unions subsequently commenced picketing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, disrupting Air Peace operations and leaving some passengers stranded.
Air Peace said it had anticipated the planned action after its chairman raised concerns over the proposed picketing, but the unions proceeded with the action on Tuesday.
The airline, however, said it remained committed to its position that its employees should not be compelled to join the unions.
“The only airlines that have joined are the legacy carriers within Nigeria, which are Arik and Aero, which have existed more than Air Peace. So, yes, we are stating that we are not going to, and we are still standing, that we are not going to join,” Whiskey said.
