Stranded passengers lament 14-hour flights delay

• Published date: 24 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Ground handling and ramp service workers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos yesterday returned to work after disrupting international flights for 14 hours.

Their resumption of work followed the intervention by industry regulators and stakeholders as well as fruitful meetings between the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO Aviance) Plc and aviation unions.

NAHCO, the employer of the striking workers, handles check-in, boarding and ramp services for several international airlines such as Air France/ KLM, Qatar, Ethiopian Airlines, Delta Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Air as well as Nigeria's Air Peace.

The industry regulators that intervened include Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Ground handling and ramp service workers are persons who provide ancillary services to airlines. They had embarked on strike over what they termed 'poor welfare.'

NAHCO Aviance management said in a statement after the meeting that some resolutions were reached that made the workers go back to work.

The resolutions are that NAHCO Aviance should withdraw the suit it instituted at the National Industrial Court (NIC) against the workers' unions; resumption of negotiation on staff welfare beginning tomorrow and non-victimisation of any worker because of the strike.

NAHCO Aviance Group Executive Director, Dr Sola Obabori, appreciated the understanding of the airlines and passengers who were inconvenienced and aviation stakeholders for their intervention.

As of 6.30 pm yesterday, scores of intending passengers at the new international wings of the MMIA and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, were seen with their luggage awaiting information from the airlines on the next line of action.

Passengers booked on Africa World Airlines, Air...