AA / Peter Kum
Nigerian air traffic controllers will be on strike from May 9, the Air Carriers Association of Nigeria announced in a letter to the country’s aviation minister, Hadi Sirika.
The strike action follows soaring jet fuel prices according to Nigerian airlines which announced “an indefinite strike” from Monday 9 May.
“Recently, the price of aviation fuel (Jet A1) went from 190 Naira (0.43 euros) per liter to 700 Naira (1.60 euros). No airline in the world can accept this sudden increase,” the Air Carriers Association of Nigeria stressed on Friday.
The Nigerian traffic controllers indicated that they might no longer bear this financial pressure and might not, also, impute it to the travelers who are already facing several difficulties.
“Therefore, the Nigerian Air Carriers Association informs the public that airmen will be absent from Nigerian skies from May 9 until further notice,” the association said.
On Sunday, Nigerian television, TrustTVNews, reported that Nigerian Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika pleaded for Nigerian airlines to suspend their strike because “it will impact the Nigerian economy”.
“Mr. Sirika reacted on Saturday through a statement made by his public relations director, James Odaudu,” said the Guardian newspaper.
His call went unanswered until Sunday at 1 p.m. GMT.
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