The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has quickly suspended its deliberate nationwide shutdown of flight operations earlier scheduled to start on Monday, April 20, 2026.
The choice adopted an enchantment from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Growth, Festus Keyamo, urging the airline physique to shelve the motion and permit room for dialogue.
In a press release issued after an emergency assembly, AON’s Govt Council and Board of Trustees mentioned the suspension was a concessionary however conditional transfer geared toward permitting discussions to deal with the continuing challenges going through airways, significantly the rising value of jet gas.
In keeping with the affiliation, the shutdown has been known as off pending the end result of a stakeholders’ assembly convened by the minister and scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
The assertion famous that the choice got here after cautious deliberation and consideration of the minister’s letter of enchantment, which acknowledged the {financial} pressure airways are going through as a result of sharp and arbitrary improve within the value of JetA1 aviation gas.
The minister recommended airline operators for sustaining companies regardless of troublesome situations and guaranteed them that the Federal Authorities had taken their issues significantly, promising rapid steps to deal with the problems surrounding the jet gas disaster.
AON additional said that as a part of the situations for suspending the shutdown, it expects authorities companies and aviation service suppliers to proceed supporting airline operations, chorus from undue harassment, and cease demanding upfront funds for companies.
The affiliation added that it could await the end result of the April 22 assembly earlier than deciding on any additional motion, expressing hope that the dialogue would produce a long-lasting answer useful to all stakeholders within the aviation sector.