Air Peace flights were disrupted in Lagos and Abuja on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, after aviation unions backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress picketed the airline’s terminals over alleged violations of workers’ unionisation rights and non-remittance of statutory ticket sales charges.
The industrial action left passengers stranded at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja as union members blocked access to Air Peace departure terminals.
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In Lagos, the Zulu terminal gate was locked, preventing passengers booked on an Air Peace flight scheduled to leave at 6:30am from departing. In Abuja, passengers scheduled for flights from about 5am were also affected.
The action was carried out by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers.
The unions were supported by the NLC and TUC as the dispute between aviation labour groups and domestic airline operators intensified.
At the centre of the dispute are two major complaints. The unions allege that some domestic airlines have prevented workers from freely joining trade unions, while also withholding a five per cent Ticket Sales Charge collected from passengers.
The unions maintain that the charge is meant to support the operations of aviation agencies and that failure to remit the funds has affected the implementation of negotiated conditions of service for aviation workers.
The unions had previously issued warnings over the dispute. Their latest action followed a notice issued on August 4, after which the unions said they were prepared to commence industrial action without further notice if the issues remained unresolved.
The disruption also affected passengers who had important appointments and travel plans. Some stranded travellers took to social media to express frustration over being unable to board their scheduled flights.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority appealed to the unions to suspend the picketing and return to dialogue, saying the dispute could be resolved through further engagement with the relevant parties.
NCAA Director-General of Civil Aviation, Captain Chris Ona Najomo, said the authority remained concerned about the disruption and urged restraint pending the return of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN.
Najomo also assured travellers that the industrial action had not compromised aviation safety.
“The NCAA assures the travelling public that flight safety remains uncompromised and that the Authority continues to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities,” he said.
Air Peace subsequently confirmed that its operations had been temporarily disrupted by the picketing.
The airline said entrances to its departure terminals at Murtala Muhammed Airport, including the Alpha and Zulu terminals and Terminal 2, as well as its terminal at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, had been barricaded.
Air Peace apologised to affected passengers and said travellers scheduled to fly later in the day were being contacted with updates as the situation developed.
The disruption was not limited to Air Peace. United Nigeria Airlines also announced a temporary suspension of its flight operations, citing the wider industrial action by labour unions against domestic airlines.
The airline said the decision was taken to protect passengers and crew and that normal operations would resume once the situation stabilised.
The latest confrontation comes against the backdrop of a broader disagreement between aviation unions and domestic airline operators over labour rights and statutory charges.
While the initial reports described the development as a nationwide grounding, the latest confirmed reports from the NCAA and other independent news organisations specifically identify disruptions at airports in Lagos and Abuja. The extent of the disruption at other airports remains unclear.
For passengers affected by the action, the immediate priority is likely to be rescheduling and obtaining clear information on delayed or cancelled services as negotiations between the unions, airlines and government authorities continue.
Also read: FCCPC secures another legal victory over Air Peace in ticket pricing dispute
The NCAA said it remained confident that dialogue would resolve the dispute and allow normal flight operations to resume as soon as practicable.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
