Operators of airlines in Nigeria have called on the Federal Government to assist with palliatives to help cushion the effect of the corona virus lockdown on its members and staff.

The Nigeria airspace had been shut following the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic, and this has negatively affected aviation workers across the country.

The Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, one of the leading airlines in the country Allen Onyema in company of other stakeholders in the aviation industry said all over the world, the government is giving palliatives, bailout funds to their airlines in order to keep them afloat.

According to him, the palliatives would help airlines save staff jobs.

“Even the strongest of airlines all over the world asked for this. What bothers us more in Air Peace is the retention of the workforce.

 “COVID-19 has brought about immense loss of jobs worldwide. We must begin to think of ways of curbing the losses in Nigeria. Relieving the airline workers of their jobs could lead to more crime in the society,” he noted.

He also hinted that the decision of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN to increase the passenger service charges on flight tickets by 100 per cent would increase flight cost.

FAAN had last week announced its plan to increase passenger service charges on domestic flights from the current rate of N1,000 to N2,000 and from $50 to $100 on international flights.