Airline operators lost billions to aviation strike — Onyema

By Seun Ibiyemi

Airline operators lost billions of naira during the two days strike that occurred last week, the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema has revealed.

Onyema, in an interview with Channels TV on Monday, said whenever aviation unions embark on strikes, the industrial action disrupts activities in the aviation market and results in losses to the airline companies.

Recall that five aviation workers union embarked on strike on Monday and Tuesday over salary review and working conditions.

He said the cost associated with the strikes is enormous, but the airline operators are not reimbursed after the strike is called off.

“Whenever these strikes erupt in the aviation industry, it is the airlines that suffer most, together with the flying public.

“The loss of revenue and the cost associated with the strikes are enormous. Airline operators in Nigeria lost several billions of naira within those two days of disruptive activities and no one is going to give that back to us.

“The insurance on our planes is static. Whether you fly, or we don’t fly, those aeroplanes have been insured. Salaries are to be paid and monies owed to fuel vendors, they must be paid.

“So, each time you call for a strike in the aviation sector, it is very disruptive and the consequences are very, very high.

“I have to say this, the aviation sector is tied to the security of the country, and anything to do with national security is taken very seriously,” Onyema said.

The Air Peace founder further stated that strike should be the last resort, with both parties: “Let strike be the last resort. As a non-violence practitioner, and as long as the other party is open to discussion, you must continue to avail yourself of that opportunity to continue discussing.”

The businessman said the strike is only adopted when one party refuses to discuss: “It is only employed in a non-violence parlance when the other party refuses to discuss.

“But as long as your party is ready to discuss, there shouldn’t be direct action. However, complaints should be looked into.”