Passengers where left stranded on Monday, 23rd of January, 2023 as Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) embarked on an indefinite industrial action over salary increment.
As a result of this, Royal Air Macro and Qatar Arlines passenger flight were turned back, while Virgin Atlantic, dropped passengers without workers to handle the clearance.
Recall that on January 16th, the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) wrote a memo signed by Ocheme Aba (General Secretary) and Francis Akinjole (Principal Deputy General Secretary) to their members explaining that they have been in negotiations with the management of NAHCO for the review of current salaries since June, 2022 without any headway.
The memo read: " As the ultimatum issued by our unions have gone unheeded and the management continues to play on our intelligence through scheduling of purposeless meetings, we have come to the conclusion that the management is clearly decided against hearkening to our cries for fairness and equity, despite overwhelming evidence in support of our demand.
"In view of the above, NUATE and ATSSSAN have no choice than to take definite step to press home our demands. In the above regard, all the staff of NAHCO are hereby directed to withdraw all services with effect from Monday, January 23. This action shall be indefinite until otherwise directed by the secretariats of the unions.
Following the directive given by the aviation unions, NAHCO staff who handle check-ins, boarding and ramp services for several international and local airlines including Air France/KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, Delta Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Air and Air Peace, among others, downed their tools on Monday morning.
Alex Nwuba, one of the affected passengers told BusinessDay that NAHCO staff in the early hours of Monday walked out of international airport, saying they were on strike and will not handle any passenger.
“Even the Qatar flight I’m traveling with this morning landed and has returned to Doha as there’s noone to handle them,” Nwuba said.
He said passengers are frustrated as they have been kept outside to avoid a crisis and no information, announcements or emails was sent to passengers.
Travellers say if the situation is not addressed, more flights will be grounded.
In one of the message by Air Peace to it’s passengers, it explained that due to NAHCO strike, It’s flight schedule has changed.
“Your 6:15am flight, P47420, Lagos to Kano for today, 23rd January, 2023 will now depart at 10:00am. We honestly understand the resulting consequence and regret the effect of this unexpected time change on your travel plans. Please bear with us,” Air Peace stated.
A source at NAHCO who craved anonymity told BusinessDay that the management had met with the staff on Sunday over the proposed strike but assured that the situation will be addressed soon.
Daniel Young, an aviation analyst said the situation will result in collosal financial losses by passengers.
“These individuals who pepertrate these actions are obviously oblivious of the long term efffects of some of those insensitive decisions they take.
“This behaviour by NACHO staff potrays the company as one whose self distruct code is activated. Even more so, it affects the overall perception of the country and the aviation industry. Timely intervention by concerned leadership is required before the whole industry implodes,” Young said.
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