The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has appealed to aviation unions to suspend their ongoing industrial action, saying a peace meeting called by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, could not be held after airline operators failed to attend.
The appeal came as the labor conflict continued to interrupt airline operations, putting passengers and other travelers at risk.
In a statement signed by NCAA Director-General Chris Najomo on Tuesday, the NCAA acknowledged the impact of the industrial action, stating that it was “aware of the ongoing industrial action by aviation unions and its impact on passengers and other stakeholders.”
The NCAA president, on the other hand, urged unions to “sheathe their swords and exercise restraint” until Keyamo returned, claiming that he has been actively attempting to resolve the disagreement.
The aviation authority stated that there was an opportunity to address the issues during a meeting organized by the minister last week, but the effort failed when airline operators declined to accept the invitation.
“The matter would have been addressed at the meeting convened by the Honorable Minister last week, but the meeting could not be held as the airline operators failed to honor the invitation,” the NCAA said.
The unions had shut down operations of Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, in an effort to press their demands, causing additional difficulties for passengers already caught up in the labor-airline operator dispute.
While travelers remained on their feet or in seats at the airport, the NCAA urged all parties to return to the bargaining table.
Najomo said, “We appeal to all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation. We are confident that the matter will be resolved shortly and normal flight operations will resume as soon as practicable.”
The authority also attempted to reassure passengers that the industrial action had not jeopardized aviation safety, stating that it remained fully committed to its regulatory responsibilities.
He added, “The NCAA assures the travelling public that flight safety remains uncompromised and that the Authority continues to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities.
“The NCAA, however, regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers and appreciates their patience and understanding.”
Air Peace responded with a statement on Tuesday, describing the disruption as transitory and apologizing to passengers whose travel plans had been affected.
The airline informed passengers that they would receive regular updates as events unfolded.
The statement partly reads, “Air Peace sincerely apologizes to all affected and stranded passengers for the disruption and inconvenience caused by circumstances beyond the airline’s control.
“Passengers scheduled to travel later today are being contacted and provided with relevant updates as the situation evolves.
“Air Peace continues to closely monitor developments and will provide further updates as necessary. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our passengers as we navigate this situation.”
