Business

Turkish airline reacts to allegation of victimisation

Turkish Airlines has denied the allegation that it victimised members of the National Union of Air Transport Employees.

The management of the airline made the refutation in a statement. It said: “Our attention has been drawn to various malicious and unfounded publications orchestrated by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (the “Union” or “NUATE”) regarding Turkish Airlines and its former employees. The publication claims that the Airline, in a bid to exterminate the Union, had dismissed 7 of its employees who are members of the Union on alleged trumped-up charges. This cannot be farther than the truth. In the interest of our customers and the goodwill and reputation that the Airline has garnered over the years, it is important to set the record straight.

“In late 2023, the Airline discovered an unfortunate pattern of ticket racketeering, particularly various ticketing reservation violations committed by 7 of its employees which caused the Airline significant economic loss and hardship to the tune of over $600,000 (Six Hundred Thousand United States Dollars).

“Upon discovering the violations, the Airline immediately engaged the Union in various discussions on how to address the said violations.

“Specifically, the Union was invited and acted as a member of the disciplinary committee against the erring employees, where it was determined, after the presentation of irrefutable evidence detailing the employees’ wrongdoings, that the employees were liable for gross misconduct and ought to be dismissed.

“After the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings, the Airline gave the employees the option to voluntarily resign which 3 out of the 7 employees did. However, the 4 remaining employees who indicated that they were interested in resigning later declined to do so. The Union, despite full compliance with disciplinary process, refused to sign off on disciplinary action to the erring members of staff.

“Despite the clear and indisputable evidence of wrongdoing, the Union has continuously threatened to paralyse the Airline’s operations in Nigeria by way of industrial action if the employees are not reinstated. Premised on the threat of industrial action issued by NUATE by notices dated 28 February 2024 and 25 March 2024, the Airline instituted proceedings in Suit No.: NICN/LA/24/2024 – Turkish Airlines Incorporated v The Registered Trustees of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), seeking to determine the legality of the Union’s (threatened) actions, among other things.

” After the institution of this suit at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) and after service had been effected on the Union on 9 February 2024 and while motions fortion were pending before the Court, NUATE proceeded to execute their threats to picket.

“On 26 March 2024, union members of NUATE barricaded the Airline’s check-in stations at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos State and prevented its passengers from boarding for over 2 hours. It was only through the intervention of the airport authorities that NUATE’s attempts to cause a complete breakdown of law and order at the airport was thwarted.

“Premised on the actions of the Union on 26 March 2024, the NICN on 30 April 2024 issued formal notices of injunction restraining NUATE and its affiliate unions from conducting any industrial action in such a way as to disrupt the business of the Airline. Under the cloak of the Nigeria Labour Congress picketing, NUATE has disrupted the business of the Airline and has forced the Airline to cancel its flights because of the picketing carried out yesterday, 21 May 2024.

“The Airline would like to state that since 2006 when it launched its operations in Lagos, Nigeria, it has continued to put the interest of its passengers and employees first. The Airline has always encouraged its employees to participate in any union of their choosing and has sought to work harmoniously with all governmental and non-governmental bodies in Nigeria.

“However, the Association expects the Airline to ignore these illegal behaviors and actions, which are contrary to the Airline’s transparency and management principles and cause serious financial losses to the Airline.

“We would like to respectfully announce to the public that the Airline has no tolerance for this and all similar illegal and wrongful actions and will act accordingly and exercise all its legal rights regarding the process”, the airline added.

Business

MTN under attack as hackers breach network

MTN Nigeria on Friday, April 25, confirmed that it was recently targeted in a cyber attack but has moved to calm concerns, assuring customers, partners, and stakeholders that its key systems and customer data were not compromised.

The telecoms giant in a statement released on Thursday, April 24, revealed that it had detected unauthorized activity within its network, and had acted swiftly to isolate and neutralize the threat.

The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola disclosed that the attackers had sough to disrupt operation, but their attempts were unsuccessful.

He emphasized that the incident did not affect Nigeria specifically, and critical infrastructure, including customer information and core business functions, remained secure.

“We take cybersecurity very seriously and have robust systems in place to detect, isolate, and neutralize threats. Although this attack attempted to breach our defenses, our security protocols worked as intended, and our core infrastructure remains secure,” Toriola stated.

The telecom giants did not however reveal the nature or origin of the cyberattack on its systems, cybersecurity analysts warn that telecom companies across Africa are becoming prime targets for cybercriminals. This growing threat is linked to the sector’s vast subscriber base and the continent’s rapidly expanding digital economy.

An internal source within MTN confirmed that the breach did not affect operations in Nigeria, reinforcing the company’s earlier statement that local infrastructure and services remain intact.

The attack comes at a time when Nigeria is accelerating its digital transformation agenda, an ambitious effort that places increased responsibility on service providers to strengthen their cybersecurity protocols.

MTN has pledged to work closely with cybersecurity experts and government authorities to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident. The company also affirmed its commitment to bolstering its systems and defenses to prevent future breaches and safeguard customer trust.

Business

Air Peace to resume flight operations nationwide

Lagos to Abuja now costs N100,000 as operators list challenges

Air Peace has said that it will resume flight operations on Friday following suspension of strike by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) workers.

The airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Dr Ejike Ndiulo, made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday night in Lagos.

According to Ndiulo, Air Peace is grateful to its customers and the general public for patience, understanding and support throughout the period of the strike.

”Your resilience and trust in our brand mean the world to us

“We commend the active and decisive intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), whose leadership and commitment were pivotal in resolving the impasse and restoring normalcy within the aviation industry,” Ndiulo said.

He noted the minister’s swift engagement with aviation stakeholders, his transparent approach and his dedication to the stability and progress of the aviation sector.

According to him, Keyamo’s efforts not only facilitated timely resolution of the industrial dispute but also underscored his broader vision for a safer, more efficient and investor-friendly Nigerian aviation industry.

Ndiulo reaffirmed Air Peace’s commitment to providing safe, reliable and world-class services.

NAN reports that NIMET workers on Thursday shelved the strike which began on April 22 following Keyamo’s intervention.

The workers downed tools in protest of alleged poor working conditions, including non-implementation of the 2019 Consequential Adjustment to the National Minimum Wage (affecting at least 30 staff).

They are also demanding a 25/35 per cent salary increase, 40 per cent hardship/peculiar allowance, and annual staff trainings.

Keyamo had promised to find lasting solutions to the problems.

Business

BREAKING: Air Peace suspends flight operations nationwide

Air Peace Ltd. has announced the suspension of all flight operations nationwide due to the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET).

This is contained in a statement signed by the Head of Corporate Communications, Air Peace, Dr Ejike Ndiulo, on Wednesday in Lagos.

According to Ndiulo, the decision is necessary because 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.

He said without these reports from the control tower, flight safety could not be guaranteed.

“As a safety-first airline, we have chosen to act responsibly by suspending operations until NiMet resumes full service.

“We understand this may cause inconvenience, and we sincerely apologise. Passengers will be contacted with updates and options for rescheduling,” he said.

The staff of NiMET on Tuesday commenced an indefinite strike over the condition of service and other demands.