Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) on Sunday faulted the plan by aviation unions to disrupt its operations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2, (MMA 2) Lagos, following the termination of services of some members of staff.
The spokesperson for BASL, Mr Steve Omolale, who made this known in a statement described the threat by the unions as "lawlessness ".
The unions, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), had issued the threat in a recent letter to BASL.
They had given BASL a seven day ultimatum to recall the workers who were allegedly sack for indicating interest to belong to unions in the sector.
However, Omolale said BASL was taken aback by their threat to further display acts of lawlessness against the organisation.
He said it would be recalled that the two unions had been at loggerheads with Bi-Courtney following the handover of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) to the company.
According to him despite the handover being in accordance with the Concession Agreement executed between BASL, the Federal Government and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the two unions physically prevented the company from exercising its constitutional and legal right of ownership of the terminal.
Omolale said :“Subsequent to this handover, the courts have confirmed that the terminal belongs to our company.
“It is interesting to note that the two unions, NUATE and ATSSSAN, actually challenged our ownership of the terminal in court in Appeal No. CA/A/141/M/09.
"The case was decided in our favour in the Court of Appeal on Oct. 16 2010. Their case was dismissed for lacking any merit whatsoever.
“Sequel to this, the courts have awarded damages of N132 billion in favour of our company for the liability we suffered up to 2009.
"As at now, the damage is in excess of N200 billion. The same unions, in continuation of their desire to sabotage the operation of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, are now threatening to disrupt our operations."
He maintained that BASL would do everything within the laws of Nigeria to enforce its right to peaceful existence and to operate its business without any interference from meddlesome interlopers.
Omolale explained that the workers who were relieved of their appointment were staff who had either attained retirement age or who were found not to be diligent in their duties, stressing that BASL had the right to continue to improve the quality of its staff.
He said this was contrary to the unions' allegation that their service was terminated because they threatened to join a union.
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