NLC Protest Sparks Flight Disruptions, Air Peace Passengers Left Stranded

Flight operations were disrupted in Lagos on Tuesday after members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) staged a protest, leaving passengers booked on an Air Peace flight stranded at the airport.

The protest reportedly commenced around 5am, with the Zulu Terminal gate reportedly locked, restricting access and affecting flight operations.

Consequently, an Air Peace flight scheduled to depart Lagos at 6:30am could not take off as planned, leaving passengers waiting at the airport without clear information on when operations would resume.

The disruption sparked frustration among affected travellers, with some saying the delay had thrown their schedules into uncertainty.

One of the passengers told Daily Trust that he was unable to ascertain when the flight would eventually depart and expressed concern about how the disruption could affect his planned engagements.

Another traveller said she arrived at the airport early enough for the scheduled 6:30am flight but was left stranded without definite information on when the situation would be resolved.

An Air Peace staff member contacted over the incident confirmed that the disruption had occurred.

“Yes, it’s true,” the employee said.

However, the staff member declined to comment on the reason behind the labour action.

An operator familiar with the dispute said the protest was linked to organised labour’s demand for Air Peace workers to be allowed to join a trade union.

According to the operator, the action was aimed at compelling the airline to recognise workers’ right to freedom of association and participation in organised labour.

The protest consequently affected movement around the terminal, leaving passengers waiting for updates on when normal flight operations would resume.