The airline, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said the actions of the unions were unwarranted and had caused significant inconvenience to its passengers.
The PUNCH gathered that the union officials stormed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos and took over the airline counter.
The development further disrupted airline operations, as passengers were seen stranded.
The action was in response to the violent disruption of Workers’ Day celebrations in Imo State by alleged agents of the state government.
The unions had written to the airline stating that no flight should be operated into Owerri today because, as alleged, Governor Hope Uzodimma disrupted their May Day activities a few days ago.
However, the airlines stated that they had no affiliation whatsoever with the Imo State Government or Governor Uzodimma.
The statement read, “Our duty and commitment are to the Nigerian flying public that has paid us. We have a contract with them to deliver. This morning, they carried out a selective attack on Air Peace, took over our counters and disrupted our operations.
“While they were doing this, another Nigerian airline was allowed to operate into and out of Owerri. They took over our counters in Owerri, Abuja and Lagos, disrupting over 110 flights of Air Peace. This particular illegal action of NLC and TUC will lead to over 700 million naira loss to the airline. It will equally lead to massive disruptions and cancellations of our flights across the country today, and that will snowball into the coming days, too.
“This is not the first time the NLC or unions will be attacking Air Peace for issues that have no bearing with the airline. There was a time they attacked Air Peace because they were protesting minimum wage with the Federal Government. While the minimum wage was 18,000 naira then, the minimum wage at Air Peace was even 50,000 naira.
“It is more worrisome that the security agencies are watching while an airline that is discharging its duties to the country is being harassed and hounded by miscreants at these airports, and this is not the first time. We do not understand why Air Peace and aviation should be selected for this kind of treatment. If they have a grouse against Governor Uzodimma, that should be taken to Imo State. Why are they not stopping road transport workers who are going to Imo State?
“Aviation borders on national security and we have been made a laughing stock in the world. Who is going to pay Air Peace over 400 million naira lost today and in the coming days?
“We use this opportunity to alert the Nigerian flying public that all our flights will be disrupted today and in the coming days because cancellations will follow. Any flight we fail to operate today due to this illegal occupation of our operations will lead to cancellations in most sunset airports. Who is going to take responsibility for this? We feel highly unprotected.”
