Air Peace flights were disrupted in Lagos and Abuja on Tuesday after aviation unions picketed the airline’s terminals, leaving passengers stranded and forcing scheduled flights to be halted.
Flight operations of Air Peace were disrupted on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, after aviation unions picketed the airline’s operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja.
The industrial action left passengers stranded as union members barricaded entrances to Air Peace departure terminals, preventing scheduled flights from taking off from both airports.
Air Peace said the blockade restricted access to its departure terminals at MMA Terminal 1, comprising the Alpha and Zulu Terminals, as well as Terminal 2 in Lagos and its terminal at NAIA, Abuja.
The airline said the disruption significantly affected passengers travelling across its network and apologised to those stranded as a result of the action.
“Air Peace sincerely apologises to all affected and stranded passengers for the disruption and inconvenience caused by circumstances beyond the airline’s control,” the management said.
The airline added that passengers scheduled to travel later in the day were being contacted and provided with updates as the situation developed.
Amid the disruption, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) appealed to the aviation unions to suspend the industrial action and return to dialogue.
The NCAA, in a statement by its Director-General, Capt. Chris Najomo, urged the unions to await the return of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who he said had been actively working to resolve the dispute.
Najomo said the regulator was aware of the impact of the industrial action on passengers and other aviation stakeholders.
According to him, the dispute could have been addressed at a meeting convened by the minister the previous week, but the meeting could not hold because airline operators failed to honour the invitation.
“The matter would have been addressed at the meeting convened by the minister last week, but the meeting could not hold, as the airline operators failed to honor the invitation,” Najomo said.
He called on all parties to return to dialogue and cooperation, expressing confidence that the dispute would be resolved and normal flight operations restored as soon as practicable.
Najomo assured passengers that the industrial action had not compromised aviation safety.
“The NCAA assures the traveling public that flight safety remains uncompromised and that the authority continues to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities,” he said.
He, however, expressed regret over the inconvenience caused by the disruption and appealed to passengers for patience and understanding.
The industrial action is linked to wider disagreements between aviation unions and airline operators over labour and industry-related issues.
Among the issues being raised by the unions are the remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and allegations concerning restrictions on workers’ unionisation.
The latest picketing represents an escalation of the dispute, with the action directly affecting flight operations and passengers at two of Nigeria’s busiest airports.
The disruption has also had consequences for other airlines. Enugu Air, for instance, announced that some of its Abuja flights would be rescheduled after union workers restricted access to the airport terminal.
As negotiations continue, passengers have been advised to monitor updates from their respective airlines before travelling to the affected airports.
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