From left : Dr Allen Onyema, Chairman Air Peace; Alhaji Muneer Bankole, MD/CEO Med-View Airline; HRM Oba Gbadabiu Ishola Asiwaju, The Onikotun of Ikotun and Mrs Rafiat Bankole-Savage, daughter of Alhaji Bankole during the launch of his Autobiography titled “Pathways, Pilgrimage & Destiny” at the Providence Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday
Amid rising tension in the aviation sector over threat by unions to picket airlines for owing the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) in billions of naira, the airlines have said they are not intimidated by the threat saying they have no scores to settle with unions .
Vice president of Airlines Operators of Nigeria (AON), Dr. Allen Onyema who spoke for the airlines at the launch of ‘Pathways Pilgrimage and Destiny’, biography of Alhaji Muneer Bankole, chairman of Medview Airlines in Lagos on Wednesday, said the threat is even an aberration because unions can’t negotiate TSC payment for agencies.
He however accused some persons of sponsoring the unions to cause mayhem in the sector adding that they are targeting the airlines specifically.
“We have business with NCAA, and we’ve been complying with what NCA has directed us to be doing. And we are doing that. So if they want to shut down the industry, we are waiting for them. If they want to shut down the industry, they can go ahead and shut down the industry. And if they picket any airline, others will go because there’s no need for that.
“Definitely there’s no need for that. That’s an aberration. Nowhere in the world is any government agency going to use union to talk about issues of debt. It’s like the airlines. Some of us have had 56 bird strikes in one year, yet we pay for the machines to be provided. The part of the money we pay is for the certain infrastructure to be provided.
“Now, if the infrastructure is not provided, and the airlines keep on losing revenue as a result of that, then airlines will now say, maybe we owe money to fewer vendors, we owe money to caterers or ground handlers and some other people. Then their members now will go and picket them To say it’s because maybe airlines had bed strikes, their.operation was grounded, they could not make enough money to pay us.
“Therefore, our own union will now come and destroy things , I’ve never had such a thing before. These airlines borrow money at 30, 33 percent. And all everybody waits is to collect money from airlines. Nobody cares about the lives of these airlines. If they want to shut down the industry, we are waiting for them because we’ve spoken and spoken. If anybody thinks that they can use union to intimidate airlines in this country, the person is wasting time. Because even he who is on ground fears no fall.
“The airlines are already on ground. So if they want to help us, they are free. But the most patriotic Nigerians could be found in the airline industry. We are doing yeoman’s job unrewarded, unsung. People don’t appreciate what these airlines are doing. We are operating under the harshest conditions ever, worldwide. The unions are being used. “, said.
Continuing, he said:: “But I weep for those who are allowing themselves to be used. because the airlines are ready. Let them come on. Let them bring it on and come and shut down the airlines. Let the unions come on and tell the world which business do we have with them. If it is how it is done anywhere in the world, let us see it. They are even writing airlines and calling airlines all manner of names and whatever. This is a bad precedent that is going to be set. We are waiting.
“We are not intimidated. If they want to picket airlines, this is an issue about safety. If they want to breach safety in this country, then the world is watching. And we are calling on the world to watch what is happening here. Unions are trying to be used to demean airlines. They’ve been calling us names and all manner of things. Let them bring it on, there’s no need to issue threats. If they want to come and destroy the airlines, let them come and do it. We all go home. We will unleash hundreds of thousands of staff to the public.”, he added.
Onyema disclosed that the operators have been meeting with the minister and NCAA DG a d cooperating with authorities.
“The airlines have been listening to them and doing the best they can do under the circumstances. So if anybody feels that unions should be used to intimidate airlines, we wish them well. Airlines have even before the enactment of this law, been complaining that this is hurting airlines. It’s not only five percent. There are other charges and we pay for everything we do.
