Aviation workers suspend strike hours after grounding international flight at Lagos airport

Aviation workers under the aegis of the National Union of Air Transport Employees and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, have suspended the strike which the unions commenced on Monday, January 23, 2023.

The Deputy General Secretary, ATSSSAN, Frances Akinjole, confirmed this to our correspondent in a phone conversation Monday afternoon.

“It’s been suspended, and they’ve agreed to commence negotiation on the salary issue with us,” he said.

The PUNCH reports that international flights at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday were grounded as workers of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc embarked on the strike.

The PUNCH also gathered that upon the suspension of the strike, some flights were rescheduled at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

Confirming this, an affected passenger, Jennifer Osezele, told The PUNCH that she had been at the airport since 12:00 noon for her flight which was for 3:20 pm.

“I have been here for about three hours now. Our flight was supposed to be by 3:20pm, normally you are supposed to be here three hours before your flight because its an international flight.

Speaking further she said, ”We just saw now on social media that the flight has been rescheduled till 1am so we are going to be here till 1am. After leaving my house since 12pm so I would spend like 12 hours at the airport without any news from the officials addressing us, telling us what they are doing.”

Expressing sadness, she said the authorities should endeavor to communicate to the passengers in situations like this, adding that she was traveling to Manchester, the United Kingdom with Qatar Airways.

She said, “If anything is happening let the people know, let us know that these people will not work today, there is strike. When other countries were on strike, some flights were still going out.

“We are here, nobody is saying anything, we are just roaming about. There are people here with kids and they are crying they don’t know what to do, should we go or stay? The authority should do better.”