- Domestic airlines have resumed flight operations after aviation unions temporarily suspended their industrial action
- Air Peace cancelled 29 flights while working to clear the backlog of stranded passengers, with more cancellations possible
- The Airline Operators of Nigeria warned that disruptions could worsen the financial pressure facing airlines
Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade’s experience covering energy, MSMEs, technology, banking and the economy.
Domestic airlines have resumed flight operations after aviation unions temporarily suspended their industrial action over a dispute concerning the remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC).
The industrial action had disrupted flight schedules and restricted access to terminals at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Source: UGC
Air Peace works to clear passenger backlog
Osifo-Whiskey Efe, spokesperson for Air Peace, told TheCable on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, that the airline had resumed operations but was still working to clear passengers stranded by the disruption.
Efe said Air Peace, which operates about 70 regional and international flights daily, had cancelled 29 flights as of Tuesday afternoon, with further cancellations possible as the airline worked to accommodate affected passengers.
He said:
“We have a flight in our programme that we are supposed to operate with at least 70 flights a day. At the moment, we have cancelled 29 and counting. So we don’t know how much of our flights will be cancelled today.”
He explained that the airline was assessing how many flights could operate based on the number of passengers waiting at the airports.
According to him, the unions announced at the airport that the industrial action had been suspended temporarily.
“Yes, they stated that it has been suspended,” the Air Peace official said.
Efe added that the unions indicated they had completed the first phase of their action involving Air Peace and could target other airlines later, although no specific carrier had been identified.
United Nigeria Airlines also resumes operations
United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) also confirmed the restoration of its flight services following the suspension.
In a statement, the airline said some of its scheduled morning flights had been affected by the industrial action.
UNA urged passengers seeking information about their flights or requiring assistance to contact its customer service team for updates.
Airlines Warned Against Further Disruptions
The disruption followed industrial action by aviation unions over the five per cent TSC remittance dispute.
Before the action began, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had cautioned aviation unions against disrupting flight operations, warning that such measures could further strain domestic carriers.
The operators said airlines were already facing severe financial pressure due to soaring aviation fuel costs and numerous charges imposed on the industry, making additional disruptions a threat to their survival.
Source: Getty Images
Airlines borrow N60bn to sustain flight operations
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that airline operators said some airlines have borrowed more than N60bn from local banks just to cover aviation fuel costs.
An AON board member said Nigeria’s jet fuel prices stand at 270% of the global benchmark, far above the 60-80% recorded elsewhere.
Airlines have stopped remitting the 5% ticket sales charge to the NCAA because all ticket revenue is being used to purchase fuel.
Source: Legit.ng