Passengers were left stranded at Abuja and Lagos airports in the early hours of Monday morning following the industrial action declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the Federal Government’s refusal to raise the proposed minimum wage from N60,000.
The Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, (ANAP), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) had on Sunday directed their members to join the strike after the meeting the leadership of the NLC and NUC had with the National Assembly to reach a resolution ended in a deadlock.
They complied with the directive in the early hours of Monday morning as flight operations at some airports across the country came to a halt.
A domestic airline official told newsmen that he arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, as early as 6.a.m on Monday to get the first flight.
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“I got to the airport at 6.a.m, checked in, got to the departure lounge and it was scanty with very few people. Air Peace was making their first boarding call. They were midway into the call when they were stopped and the departure gate was locked and no one could leave. At about 7.00a.m, Air Peace cancelled Passengers flights and the labour unions came and began shutting off the air conditioners in the departure lounge and everyone left.
“Around 7.15a.m, I left the departure lounge and came outside the terminal building and saw a huge crowd. All the check-in counters of the airlines were shut down, no one was selling tickets and no one was checking in.
“When I made enquires, I was told that the unions told all the airline staff to leave the terminal building.
“As I speak, everyone is standing outside the terminal building and no one is being allowed to enter. People are standing outside and hoping that there would be a reprieve,” the airline official said. #Passengers
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