Airlines temporarily relocate to GAT, rue logistics, financial; other effects of MMA2 picketing

As part of efforts to salvage a bad situation and one that would equally impact on the airlines, those operating from the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two ( MMA2) operated by Bi- Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) have relocated their flights to the General Aviation Terminal ( GAT) also called MMA1.

This is the latest development following the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) barricading the MMA2 over unprovoked termination of the services of 34 union members.

Already on their social media accounts Ibom Air and Azman Air have already announced their relocation due to the ongoing Labour Union disruption at MMA2 asking passengers departing from Lagos to proceed to GAT Terminal for Check In and Boarding pending resolution.

The airlines seem to have learnt from the past where such man made calamities impacted their operations and left them holding the short end of the stick, although the initial damage of the morning flights have affected the entire chain of their operations

An airline staff who spoke to our reporter was upbeat about the entire situation stating that the elephants are battling while the grass suffers.

He explained that the situation was between the terminal operator and it’s workers but as usual, somehow the airlines would be the ones to pay refunds while still paying Passenger Service Charges ( PSC) to the terminal operators despite not using the facility.

According to him, most of the early flights were not made possible and on alternate airports the passengers will become agitated and may likely attack airline staff, as they signed their carriage contracts with airlines not the unions or airport operators.

He said,” Look there has to be a way that these people will resolve their issues or have it out without it affecting our operations. They won’t pay for the flights affected, the Airport Operators will still collect PSC and for which service? Directly, their actions ( unions and BASL) have affected us and this is not good .

” Eventually when the delay has happened, it affects the entire chain and those passengers at receiving airports who will choose not to understand will cause us issues and this is what we go through anytime things like this happen. No warning, nothing and we are left holding the bag.”