Domestic airlines resumed operations yesterday, albeit on a limited scale, following the suspension of the nationwide strike declared by organised labour over minimum wage disputes.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had called off the indefinite strike which began on Monday, bringing a brief halt to economic activities across various sectors, including aviation.
During the strike, flight operations were completely grounded as aviation unions joined the labour actions, leading to significant disruptions at airports nationwide. With the blockage of entries to domestic airport terminals, passengers were left stranded, and flights across the country were cancelled.
According to DailyTrust, a visit to the MMA2 terminal revealed that as late as 11 am yesterday, numerous passengers were seen awaiting confirmation to proceed with their travel plans.
The resumption of flight operations was gradual and limited to a few routes as airlines scrambled to manage scheduling after the unexpected halt.
Prominent airlines such as Ibom Air, ValueJet, and Air Peace managed to conduct a handful of flights. Specifically, Ibom Air operated routes from Lagos to Accra, Abuja, and Uyo, each returning to their origin.
However, these operations were far from the normal volume as the airlines performed what was described by industry insiders as “skeletal operations.”
An airline operator highlighted that the disruption caused by the strike’s timing, which was lifted during the day, resulted in operational challenges.
This led to continued cancellations on some routes while only a few destinations were serviced as the airlines adjusted to the rapid changes.
“Only a few airlines operated yesterday because it was later in the day that the strike was suspended. It’s until tomorrow before the airlines resume their schedule and begin to attend to all the backlogs,” he said.
The General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Ocheme Aba, said members were mobilised back to their offices immediately after the suspension of the strike.
