In the early hours of Monday, aircraft commuters were stranded as the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) commenced industrial action over workers’ salary increase.
Investors King reports that several local and international airports were closed down leaving the passengers outside and unattended to.
This was observed at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two, (MMA2) Lagos, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Air France/KLM, Qatar, Ethiopian Airlines, Delta Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Air and some others where NAHCO handles check-in, boarding and ramp services.
Passengers have lamented the situation, saying that no information, notice nor emails were sent to them to inform them ahead.
One of the international airport customers, Alex Nwuba who already booked a flight to Qatar, said he was disappointed when a member of NAHCO staff told them that they will not attend to any passenger because they are on strike.
He said the Qatar flight he ought to board already landed in the morning but has flown to Doha since there is no body to handle it.
Travellers whose flights have been delayed or rescheduled called for urgent attention to forestall further grounding of flights.
Investors King learnt that the NAHCO management had a meeting with its staff on Sunday before embarking on the strike action on Monday.
According to an aviation analyst, Daniel Young, the situation will result in enormous financial losses by passengers if not solved timely.
“These individuals who pepertrate these actions are obviously oblivious of the long term efffects of some of those insensitive decisions they take. This behaviour by NACHO staff portrays the company as one whose self distruct code is activated. Even more so, it affects the overall perception of the country and the aviation industry,” he said.
Young urged the federal government to intervene before the matter gets out of hand as the country is currently going through a lot.