Domestic airlines under the Airline Operators of Nigeria have threatened to shut down operations nationwide if unions again disrupt the operations of any member airline, following the picketing of Air Peace flights in Lagos and Abuja on August 11, 2026.
The warning was contained in a communiqué issued after the AON General Meeting in Abuja, where airline operators condemned what they described as violent disruptive action by aviation unions and other groups.
The union and the airlines have been at loggerheads over the refusal of airlines to pay statutory funds to government agencies, a development the unions say is capable of threatening safety.
The association further said there were recorded cases of violence against airline staff, with some workers allegedly sustaining bodily injuries while attempting to perform their duties.
For passengers, the consequences were immediate. Flights were cancelled or disrupted, travellers were stranded, and airlines were forced to rebook passengers, arrange accommodation and issue refunds.
