United Nigeria Airlines and Air Peace both suspended domestic flight operations on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, after aviation unions launched an industrial action that blocked access to terminals at Lagos and Abuja airports. The disruption began as early as 5am in Lagos, where union members restricted entry to terminals at Murtala Muhammed Airport. Entrances to Air Peace terminals in both cities were barricaded, preventing scheduled departures and leaving passengers stranded across the airline's network.
United Nigeria Airlines Confirms Suspension
United Nigeria Airlines confirmed the suspension in a management statement, saying the decision was driven by passenger and crew safety. The airline added that affected travellers would receive updates on revised schedules and could reach its customer care team for assistance.
The statement reads: "We regret to inform our valued passengers that we have temporarily suspended our flight operations due to the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by labour unions against domestic airlines. This decision was taken to protect the safety of our passengers and crew, which remains our priority at all times. Rather than compromise on safety, we have chosen to pause operations until normalcy is restored."
"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you and thank you for your understanding. We are closely monitoring the situation and will resume full operations once the situation normalizes. Affected passengers will be kept informed of updated flight schedules. In the meantime, please reach out to our customer care team for further assistance. We thank you for your continued trust in United Nigeria Airlines."
Air Peace also issued an apology to affected passengers and said it was reaching out to those booked on later flights as the situation continued to develop.
Why the Unions Went on Strike
The industrial action was carried out by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), acting under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The unions had issued a three-day strike notice to domestic airlines, following an earlier warning on August 4 that industrial action was imminent. Two key grievances triggered the walkout.
First, the unions alleged that some airlines were actively discouraging workers from joining trade unions, with employees reportedly reluctant to declare union membership for fear of discrimination or victimisation. The unions demanded that airlines issue clear, written directives protecting workers' freedom to organise.
Second, the unions accused domestic carriers of failing to remit the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge collected from passengers, arguing that these funds are meant to support aviation agency operations and underpin collective bargaining agreements with workers in the sector.
NCAA Appeals for Dialogue
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) called on the unions to stand down and engage in dialogue, pending the return of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. The regulator noted that a meeting to address the dispute had already been arranged by the minister but collapsed after airline operators failed to attend.
The NCAA assured the public that flight safety had not been compromised and that the authority was continuing its statutory oversight duties. It expressed confidence that the standoff would be resolved and normal operations restored shortly.
Passengers at the affected airports remained at the terminals, waiting for updates on when flights would resume.
Max Air Resumes Full Operations
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria's aviation industry as Pioneer Airlines has been granted authorisation for unscheduled operations after the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) issued it an Air Operator Certificate (AOC). With the certification, Pioneer Airlines has the right to engage in non-scheduled activities such as charter flights and group bookings. The Director General of the NCAA, Chris Ona Najomo, formally presented the certificate to the airline in Abuja.
