Nigeria’s aviation industry could soon experience fresh disruptions as two major aviation unions have threatened to shut down the operations of airlines accused of failing to remit billions of naira collected from passengers as statutory Ticket Sales Charges (TSC).
The unions said the planned industrial action could begin at any time after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the affected airlines. The deadline followed an earlier 14-day notice that also failed to produce a resolution.
The warning was jointly issued by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE). The unions alleged that some airlines have continued to collect the mandatory charges from passengers but have not transferred the funds to the appropriate government aviation agencies as required by law.
According to the unions, the situation has become a major concern because the charges are meant to support the daily operations of agencies responsible for aviation safety, air traffic management, accident investigations, weather forecasting, and aviation training.
The Ticket Sales Charges are deducted from every passenger’s airfare and shared among key aviation agencies, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
Labour leaders argued that the continued failure to remit these funds is putting pressure on the agencies that oversee the safety and efficiency of Nigeria’s aviation sector. They warned that without proper funding, critical aviation services could suffer.
The unions also stated that they had made several attempts to resolve the issue through dialogue but claimed that the airlines involved ignored repeated appeals and failed to meet both deadlines given to them.
In their statement, the labour groups accused the defaulting airlines of withholding money that does not belong to them, describing the action as harmful to the aviation industry. They insisted that airlines that refuse to comply with statutory financial obligations should not continue operating while other carriers obey the rules.
As a result, the unions announced plans to begin picketing and shutting down the operations of the affected airlines across airports nationwide without issuing any further notice.
They maintained that the proposed action is not intended to inconvenience passengers but to ensure that funds meant for aviation safety and regulation reach the agencies responsible for protecting air travellers.
Meanwhile, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) rejected the unions’ position. The association said airlines have no direct transactional relationship with the labour unions and warned that any attempt to disrupt airline operations could have serious consequences.
The operators explained that they would normally not respond to what they described as baseless allegations, but growing concerns among passengers about possible flight disruptions made it necessary to clarify their position.
If both parties fail to reach an agreement soon, passengers may face flight delays, cancellations, and other travel disruptions. Industry stakeholders are therefore urging the unions, airlines, and relevant government authorities to return to the negotiating table and resolve the dispute before it affects air travel across the country.
