Air Peace has suspended all flight operations later within the day on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, following the graduation of an indefinite strike by the Nigerian Meteorological Company (NiMet), which halted the availability of important climate and navigational providers.
The airline had began the day working scheduled flights, however later grounded its fleet because the strike persevered and climate situations deteriorated.
Air Peace cited the absence of NiMet’s meteorological steering as a serious security concern, stating it couldn’t threat the lives of passengers, crew, or its plane.
In a video obtained by Nairametrics, Air Peace Chairman Allen Onyema was heard on a cellphone name inquiring whether or not NiMet had referred to as off the strike. After receiving a destructive response, Onyema instantly ordered that each one Air Peace flights be cancelled.
Talking to Nairametrics, the airline’s spokesperson confirmed:
“With NiMet on strike, there isn’t any meteorological steering. The climate is dangerous at the moment, and we can’t fly blind. We aren’t able to jeopardize lives, plane, or crew.”
Regardless of Air Peace’s choice to floor flights, some airways reportedly continued operations. As of the night of April 23, Nairametrics spoke with two airline reserving brokers in several areas. The Lagos-based agent confirmed that flights had ceased earlier within the day, whereas a counterpart in Abuja famous that some flights have been nonetheless departing as late as Wednesday night.
The strike additionally appeared to contribute to a surge in ticket costs. A traveler who contacted Nairametrics mentioned he tried to e-book a flight however was quoted a fare of N400,000, considerably increased than the same old common of round N120,000. Unable to afford the sharp improve, he opted to journey by street as a substitute.
NiMet, which gives important meteorological knowledge for Nigeria’s aviation, agriculture, and maritime sectors, started the economic motion on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Nonetheless, as of press time, the company had not issued any official assertion throughout its social media platforms, leaving the precise causes for the strike unclear.
Extra insights
NiMet’s providers play a vital position in aviation security, providing real-time climate forecasts, wind patterns, and visibility studies that information pilot choices and help airport operations throughout the nation.
The suspension of those providers as a result of strike has raised important issues over flight security and regulatory compliance.
- The ensuing fare spike additionally highlights the fragility of Nigeria’s air journey sector throughout operational disruptions. Whereas Air Peace grounded its fleet over security issues, studies on whether or not different airways continued operations remained conflicting. This uncertainty, mixed with the shortage of clear communication, left passengers grappling with each security issues and hovering ticket costs.
As of the time of reporting, different home airways had but to subject public statements on how the NiMet strike was affecting their operations or the protection measures that they had in place.
