Domestic airlines have resumed flight operations following the temporary suspension of industrial action by aviation unions over a dispute concerning the remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC).
Gatekeepers News reports that the development came after the unions disrupted flight operations earlier on Tuesday, affecting passengers at major airports in Lagos and Abuja.
Speaking on the development, Air Peace spokesperson, Osifo-Whiskey Efe, confirmed that the airline had resumed operations but was working to clear the backlog of passengers stranded by the disruption.
The industrial action had affected access to airport terminals, including the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, disrupting scheduled flights and leaving passengers stranded.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had earlier appealed to the aviation unions to suspend the action and embrace dialogue to resolve the dispute.
In a statement issued by its Director-General, Capt. Chris Ona Najomo, the NCAA said the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been actively working towards resolving the issues.
The authority said a meeting convened by the Minister the previous week could not hold because airline operators failed to honour the invitation.
The NCAA also assured passengers that flight safety remained uncompromised and that it would continue to carry out its statutory safety oversight responsibilities.
The unions’ action was linked to the dispute over the non-remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge by airline operators.
With the temporary suspension of the industrial action, airlines have begun restoring services while efforts continue to resolve the underlying dispute and return flight operations to normal.
