The chief operating officer of Air Peace has said labour unions could be held liable for passenger compensation claims after a period of selective picketing disrupted the airline’s operations, according to Business News Nigeria.
The COO said the airline’s losses have exceeded N2 billion as a result of the industrial action, which grounded flights and left travellers stranded. Business News Nigeria reports that the statement places responsibility for the financial fallout and passenger claims directly on the unions involved.
The disruption was part of a wider labour dispute in Nigeria’s aviation sector. The Trade Union Congress has publicly backed the strike, with Channels Television reporting that the TUC is demanding government action on insecurity and economic conditions. The picketing specifically targeted Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline, which TheCable said raises questions about why the carrier was singled out.
Punch Newspapers reported that passengers were left stranded as unions grounded Air Peace flights, while the Guardian said more than 80 flights were cancelled, causing chaos for travellers and financial pain for airlines. The scale of the cancellations underscores the operational impact of the action.
The legal position outlined by Air Peace’s COO suggests the unions may now face claims from passengers whose travel plans were disrupted. That would add a new layer of consequence to the strike, beyond the operational losses already recorded.
What to watch next is whether the unions respond to the liability warning and whether any passenger compensation claims are formally filed against them.
