Domestic airlines operating under the Airline Operators of Nigeria have warned that they could suspend flights across the country if aviation unions disrupt the operations of any member airline again.
The threat followed the August 11 disruption of Air Peace operations in Lagos and Abuja, which the AON said severely affected flight operations at the two airports.
The association issued the warning in a communiqué released after its General Meeting in Abuja and made available to journalists on Monday.
The airline operators condemned what they described as “violent disruptive action” by aviation unions and other groups, saying the August 11 incident brought activities at Terminals 1 and 2 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to a standstill.
According to the AON, union members allegedly prevented access to Air Peace departure terminals, check-in areas, offices and other workstations during the protest.
The dispute between the airlines and aviation unions centres partly on statutory payments to government agencies. While airlines have resisted some of the payments, the unions have argued that failure to remit the funds could have implications for aviation safety.
The unions have also accused some airlines of preventing workers from joining labour organisations, describing such actions as unacceptable.
However, the AON said the August 11 disruption went beyond a labour disagreement because it affected passengers, airline employees and airport security.
The association alleged that some airline workers were subjected to violence during the incident, with several employees reportedly sustaining injuries while trying to carry out their duties.
Passengers were also affected as flights were cancelled or disrupted, leaving travellers stranded and forcing airlines to rebook passengers, provide accommodation and process refunds.
The AON said more than 70 Air Peace flights were affected by the disruption, resulting in estimated losses of over N2bn.
It added that more than 30 United Nigeria Airlines flights were also disrupted, affecting approximately 13,000 passengers.
The operators said they incurred further expenses from aircraft and crew repositioning, flight rescheduling and other recovery efforts.
According to the association, the additional costs came at a difficult time for domestic airlines, which are already facing high aviation fuel prices and rising aircraft maintenance expenses linked to foreign exchange.
The AON said its members had therefore agreed that any recurrence of the August incident would lead to an industry-wide response.
“To this end therefore, the AON would like to state in unequivocal terms that should the events of August 11, 2026, repeat themselves again against any domestic airline, the entire AON member airlines will immediately shut down operations,” the communiqué stated.
The association also raised concerns about airport security, arguing that the ability of protesters to gain access to and block airline terminals exposed vulnerabilities in existing security arrangements.
It referenced the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Annex 17 on unlawful interference, warning that the August incident could have significant implications for Nigeria’s aviation industry both locally and internationally.
On flight delays and cancellations, the operators maintained that disruptions were not deliberately caused by airlines because carriers suffer financial and reputational losses whenever passengers are delayed or flights are cancelled.
The AON attributed operational disruptions to several factors, including adverse weather, congested aircraft parking facilities at Lagos and Abuja airports, restricted operating hours at some secondary airports, VIP movements, bird strikes, foreign object damage, fuel shortages, inefficient air traffic management and inadequate airport infrastructure.
The association also raised concerns over the rising cost and availability of aviation fuel, saying Jet A1 currently sells for more than N2,500 per litre and remains difficult to obtain consistently at some secondary airports.
While commending the ongoing reconstruction of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the AON urged the authorities to involve airline operators from the early stages of the project.
The association said airlines should be allowed to contribute to the design process to help identify potential challenges that could hinder the smooth movement of passengers and aircraft once the reconstruction is completed.
