•Grounded aircrafts
A no-work order issued by the leadership of aviation unions to their members nationwide has grounded the operations of all airlines nationwide today, leaving passengers stranded.
The order was contained in a circular dated August 10, 2026 jointly signed by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) in collaboration with the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).
In the circular sighted by The Frontier, the unions are accusing the Airlines Operators of Nigeria (AON) of “acting as a unified cartel in resisting the efforts of trade unions to organise workers within the industry”.
The aviation unions therefore issued the order to their members by stating that, “Consequently, it has become necessary to embark on a lawful and legitimate measure to compel the AON member airlines to comply with Nigerian laws and fulfil their statutory obligations.
“Accordingly, all the Unions State Councils are hereby directed to join the NLC State Councils and members nationwide, in picketing the offices and operations of AON member airlines nationwide, commencing from Tuesday, 11th August, 2026, at 00 hours”.
Following the above circular, the aviation industry is right now at a standstill, and the unions have vowed to continue the action until their demands are met.
Speaking with The Frontier this morning, an affected passenger said, “I’m at Abuja airport and the workers are on strike. Everything is at a standstill. The doors are locked and passengers are all outside.
“No one is picketing the airlines offices. It’s a shut down of airport(s)”.
