Air France-KLM said on Wednesday that the handing over of its Document Checking Unit to a private firm, Checkport Security Nigeria Limited, was in line with international practice.
Spokesperson for the airline, Olufunmilayo Ojesina, gave the defence in a statement issued in Lagos and made available to aviation correspondents.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Document Checking Unit of an airline is in charge of checking passengers’ international passports and traveling documents.
NAN also reports that the National Union of Air Transport Employees had opposed the move by the airline, engaging an entity outside the association for the job, saying that it violated extant labour laws.
NUATE, in a protest letter dated June 30, signed by its Assistant General Secretary, Olayinka Abioye, argued that the outsourcing of the unit would render staff of the airline redundant.
In a statement, however, Ojesina said Air France-KLM had decided to outsource its passenger documentation control activity in Lagos from July 1.
Ojesina said: “This is a procedure that is already in place at all Air France-KLM stations worldwide as well as other international airlines in Nigeria.
“NUATE, staff representatives and concerned staff were duly informed of the various steps of this project since November 2014 and numerous negotiation meetings were held.”
Ojesina said the airline would continue to do its utmost best to find an acceptable solution for all parties involved.
NAN.
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