Day 9: Aero Planes Still Grounded

Nigeria’s second largest airline, Aero Contractors, remained grounded on Friday, nine days after a labour crisis paralysed its activities nationwide and a day after the National Industrial Court in Lagos ruled that sacked workers should be called back.

The judge ruled that striking workers cannot be sacked while the case  is still in court and ordered for the status quo to be maintained.

Aero Contractors’ planes remained parked at the aircraft stands across the nation, and its headquarters in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, remained shut as well.

At the terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, Aero check-in counters that usually brim with many passengers were empty and its offices for purchase of tickets were vacant.

A strike action on 13 March grounded Aero’s operations nationwide, leaving many passengers stranded. The airline then grounded its own operations on Friday, 15 March but attempted to resume flights on Wednesday, 20 March but was grounded by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

NCAA said Aero would resume operations only after the crisis between and staff and management is resolved in the interest of safety.

A source within Aero told our correspondent on telephone on Friday morning that a crucial meeting was underway  in order to resume operations on Saturday.

—Simon Ateba