Air Peace COO: Unions on the hook for N2bn strike losses, passenger claims

Air Peace has placed the financial burden of Tuesday’s flight disruptions squarely on the unions that orchestrated the picketing, warning that any compensation claims or lawsuits from stranded passengers should be directed at labour leaders, not the airline.

Speaking at a Lagos press conference, the carrier’s Chief Operating Officer, Toyin Olajide, put the losses from the industrial action at roughly N2 billion. She argued that the picketing constituted an external disruption beyond the airline’s control, falling under the legal principle of force majeure. Because Air Peace had no hand in causing the blockade, she insisted passengers have no legal grounds to seek redress from the carrier.

“Legally, passengers are not entitled to compensation from Air Peace because what happened was entirely out of the scope of the airline’s operations,” Olajide said. “However, if passengers insist on compensation through legal channels, the unions that caused this disruption will have to bear the brunt.”

The unions, which grounded operations at Air Peace’s counters, had cited two main grievances: the non‑remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge to the NCAA, and restrictions on workers forming or joining unions. But Olajide questioned why Air Peace was singled out when almost all domestic carriers share similar debt profiles and operate non‑unionised workforces. She noted that only Aero Contractors and Arik Air have organised staff.

She also referenced a statement from NCAA Director‑General Chris Najomo confirming that domestic airlines are repaying the old TSC arrears, built up during the US‑Iran crisis when aviation fuel prices spiked from N900 to N3,500 per litre., under a structured repayment plan.

Beyond the financial hit, Olajide said the picketing involved physical violence, including an incident where a female staff member was left bleeding and bruised while trying to access the terminal. She added that Tuesday’s action violated a subsisting Federal High Court judgment obtained on April 26, 2024, by Air Peace employees against the NLC, TUC, NUATE, and the Inspector General of Police. That ruling explicitly declared that coercing Air Peace staff into union membership was unlawful and unconstitutional under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, and granted a perpetual injunction barring unions from harassing employees or disrupting operations.

Olajide also stressed that blocking access to airport terminals constitutes Unlawful Interference under International Civil Aviation Organisation rules and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations. She warned that individuals captured on security footage could face severe consequences, including placement on global no‑fly lists or arrest abroad under international aviation safety conventions.

Air Peace has called on the Federal Government, the NCAA, and law enforcement to launch an urgent, independent investigation using available video evidence and to prosecute those responsible for the breach.