By Chinelo Obogo
Following the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has agreed to temporarily suspend the planned shutdown of operations scheduled for Monday.
In a statement released Friday evening after a meeting, the body said it reached a concessionary but conditional decision following robust deliberations by members of the Executive Council (Exco) and Trustees in consideration of an intervention the association received through a letter of appeal from the minister calling for a stay of action.
Acknowledging the challenges being faced by airlines and appealing restraint of the planned suspension of flights in the light of the Jet Fuel crisis, the minister said; “I wish to commend the resilience, professionalism, and steadfast commitment of your members in sustaining air transport services under evidently difficult conditions.” He added that the concerns raised by airlines have received the full attention of the Federal Government and that immediate steps will be taken to address the issues.
The AON said:”In consideration of the appeals and efforts by the minister to wade into the matter and get to the bottom of the issues surrounding the astronomical and arbitrary increase in the price of Jet A1, we would like to state unequivocally that the planned shutdown action scheduled for Monday April 20, 2026 is hereby called off albeit temporarily pending the outcome of the meeting called by the minister scheduled to take place on Wednesday April 22, 2026 to allow for dialogue with a view to possibly finding a lasting and win-win solution for all parties concerned.
Furthermore, as a precondition for the suspension, we call on the Honourable Minister to urge the various government agencies and industry service providers to continue to provide services to airlines and desist from undue harassment as well as to stop demanding upfront payment for services rendered. “We respect the appeals of the Federal Government through the office of the Honourable Minister and will therefore be patient for the outcome of the meeting scheduled for Wednesday 22, 2026 to determine any further decision.”
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