By Ayomide Otitoju
Tension erupted at an airport on Tuesday after an airline flight was abruptly delayed due to a dispute between its pilots and management over unpaid salaries, causing panic and confusion among passengers who had already boarded.
According to eyewitnesses, the crew informed passengers that the pilots had refused to operate the flight in protest. “The flight attendants said the pilots wouldn’t fly because they haven’t been paid,” one passenger said, requesting anonymity.
The travellers, who had completed boarding and were awaiting takeoff, were later instructed to disembark and return to the terminal. “We had all taken our seats and were waiting for takeoff when they told us to leave the aircraft,” another passenger, identified simply as Shola, recounted.
The disruption left many passengers stranded for hours amid growing frustration. However, the situation was eventually resolved, and boarding resumed after both parties reached an understanding.
Confirming the incident, Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), said the matter was settled amicably without regulatory intervention.
