Aviation union halts interruption of Turkish Airlines’ operations

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has settled the disagreement between the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, and Turkish Airlines.

Following intervention by the NCAA on Thursday morning, NUATE has temporarily agreed to discontinue the interruption of Turkish Airlines’s operations in Lagos and Abuja airports.

After a meeting with the Acting Director General of NCAA, Capt Chris Najomo, who was represented by Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, Mr Michael Achimugu, the airline can now airlift its Nigerian passengers stranded at the International wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

Reacting to the development in a statement, NLC, in a statement, on Thursday, said the decision to shift ground was purely on humanitarian grounds.

Vice Chairman Lagos State Council of NLC, Mr Olabisi Adebayo Idowu, stated: “NLC commenced picketing of Turkish Airlines since Tuesday May 21, 2024, over high handedness and severe maltreatment of workers of the Airline by the General Manager who is a Turkish National, including unjustifiable dismissal and forced resignation of seven workers.

The picketing has resulted in passengers being stranded at the airports in Lagos and Istanbul. At the intervention of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN), and the NCAA as well as the Nigerian Police Force and Directorate of State Security, Airports Command, the Congress has taken the decision to allow the passengers stranded at the Lagos and Istanbul airports who were booked on the flights for 21/05/2024 to be airlifted by Turkish Airlines. This decision is purely on humanitarian grounds.

“The picketing exercise other than as allowed above shall remain firmly in place until all the demands of NLC are fully met.”