Air Peace has suspended all domestic flight operations across Nigeria, citing safety concerns arising from the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
The airline announced the decision on Wednesday, attributing the move to the unavailability of critical weather updates essential for flight safety.
“NiMet is the agency responsible for issuing CNH (Current Nowcast of Hazardous Weather) reports, critical for safe landings, especially during this season of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms,” stated Ejike Ndiulo, Head of Corporate Communications at Air Peace. “Without these reports from the control tower, flight safety could not be guaranteed.”
The strike by NiMet staff began on Tuesday, disrupting essential meteorological services nationwide. NiMet workers, under various unions including the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), initiated the industrial action over longstanding welfare concerns. These include salary disparities, unpaid arrears, and inadequate working conditions.
“The situation is bad for us here in NiMet. In terms of our welfare, the salary package and everything is very low compared to our sister agency,” lamented a NiMet staff member.
“You can see a management staff member in NiMet collecting N470,000, while someone in the sister agency earns about N1.2m.”
Air Peace emphasised its commitment to passenger safety, stating, “As a safety-first airline, we have chosen to act responsibly by suspending operations until NiMet resumes full service.”
The airline acknowledged the inconvenience caused to passengers and assured them of updates and options for rescheduling.
NiMet management has described the workers’ ultimatum as a threat to national security, noting that the issues raised are legacy matters predating the current administration. The agency has engaged in discussions with union representatives to address the concerns and restore normal operations.
Passengers are advised to stay informed through official Air Peace channels for the latest updates on flight schedules and resumption of services.
