Aviation unions are? re-strategising? to ensure full compliance of labour directive in aviation.
This is coming as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) announced that the airspace is open to flight operations despite the? strike declared by organised labour.
Acting Secretary General of NUATE, Abdul Kareem Motajo, and others who mobilised and turned away few people who headed towards the airport,? said that aviation workers had complied with the strike directive. He added? that the strike? has been successful in the aviation sector.
He cautioned? the foreign airlines who? allegedly now send textmessages? to their passengers that they were operating flights, stressing that since these foreign airlines were now trying to undermine the call, the unions may be forced to leave the airport and allow Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC)and civil society to come in and ensure compliance.
The domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos remained deserted? even as the heavy presence of security officials witnessed earlier in the day has reduced.
However, the access gates to the MMA2 and GAT remained locked and manned by security officials to prevent anyone from gaining access to the premises since flight operations were not conducted from the terminals due to the strike.
Ealier, Policemen stationed around strategic areas of the airport had a difficult time preventing protesters from carrying out protests.
The protests were generally peaceful, but very effective as it crippled flight operations apart from? international flights that took off, the domestic terminals, including the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 was locked to passengers and workers.
Apart from Arik which did its early morning flight, no other airline ventured to do a single flight.
However, many passengers who came on the carrier’s early morning flight from London yesterday were seen stranded at the domestic wing of the airport as they could not be airlifted to different parts of the country.
State House workers and journalists who had gone to South Africa for the African National Congress (ANC)? centenary celebration in? anticipation that President Goodluck Jonathan would attend were also stranded.
They returned yesterday morning but could not get a connecting flight to Abuja. They were brought to the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in a bus.