MMA1 arrival section reopens as stranded Air Peace passengers enter terminal

The arrival section of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), also known as MMA1 Lagos, has been reopened to passengers after remaining shut since the morning amid the ongoing industrial action by aviation unions.

Nairametrics observed that the gate to the arrival section was opened at exactly 2:25pm on Tuesday, allowing passengers to enter the terminal building.

Passengers who have been waiting at the airport since as early as 5am, as well as others who arrived later, have now formed queues inside the terminal ahead of the commencement of boarding.

What they are saying

An Air Peace staff member, who spoke to Nairametrics on condition of anonymity, said aircraft were waiting and ready to operate once passengers had entered the terminal and completed the necessary boarding processes.

The airline also announced through the terminal’s public address system that afternoon flights would proceed, while some morning flights had been cancelled.

According to the announcement, Air Peace morning flights from GAT to Abuja and Kano would proceed, while other affected morning flights had been cancelled.

Boarding had not yet commenced as of the time of filing this report, although passengers had entered the terminal and queued up ahead of the expected resumption of operations.

Experiences of the affected MMA1 passengers

Passengers interviewed by Nairametrics described hours of frustration at MMA1, with elderly travellers, families with children and other passengers left waiting for hours with little information on when they would be able to travel.

At the terminal, some passengers sat on their luggage or boxes, others sat directly on the floor, while some lay down as they waited. Elderly passengers, parents with young children and other travellers were among those left stranded by the disruption.

• Fatima, who arrived at about 4am for an Abuja flight with her child below two years old, said the terminal gates were locked and some passengers had to force their way inside. She said Air Peace sent an email at about 11 am saying it was working to resolve the situation.
• An elderly passenger travelling to Enugu said she arrived at about 5am for a 6:30am flight.
• A retiree who booked her ticket in June said travelling by road was difficult because of her age.
• Silvanus, who was travelling to Port Harcourt for a 12 noon meeting, described himself as “stranded and frustrated.”
• Fatima said the situation showed “a deep rot in how things are done in Nigeria’s aviation sector.”

Passengers said they were largely unaware of the planned industrial action until they arrived at the airport and criticised the unions for not doing enough to publicise it.

They remained at the airport for several hours, with the MMA1 arrival section eventually reopening at 2:25pm.

Union leaders’ insights

The protesting unions said the industrial action was driven by workers’ right to freedom of association and the alleged non-remittance of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) by airlines.

The union leaders spoke to Nairametrics and other newsmen at the airport as the gates into the check-in area remained locked at MMA1.

• Ben Nnabue, National President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), said the unions were demanding workers’ “freedom of association” in line with Nigerian law and international labour conventions.

Nnabue claimed domestic airlines had allegedly withheld more than N25 billion in TSC. He claimed Air Peace was the biggest debtor, with an alleged outstanding amount of more than N17 billion, and said the airline had refused to attend negotiations.

• John Ogbe, National President of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), said unpaid obligations were affecting aviation agencies’ statutory responsibilities and staff welfare, describing the situation as “an accident waiting to happen.”

Nnabue said the unions had initially avoided stopping all airlines because they did not want to strand Nigerians but proceeded against Air Peace because of the alleged scale of its outstanding obligations and its alleged refusal to engage with the unions.

Ogbe also raised concerns about casualisation and the absence of collective bargaining agreements, arguing that Nigerian aviation operators should meet global industry standards.

What you should know

The Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) is a statutory 5% levy collected by airlines on behalf of the NCAA on tickets for flights originating in Nigeria. The unions’ dispute with airlines centres partly on the alleged non-remittance of the charge.

• Under the existing revenue-sharing formula, the NCAA receives 56% of the TSC, NAMA 22%, NiMet 9%, NCAT 7% and NSIB 6%.
• The unions claim domestic airlines have withheld more than N25 billion in TSC, with Air Peace allegedly owing more than N17 billion.
• The NCAA has opposed a proposal before the National Assembly to reduce its share from 56% to 40%, with Najomo saying the TSC accounts for about 85% of the authority’s revenue.

The authority said the charge funds key functions including safety oversight, certification, licensing and inspections.