Nigeria’s aviation industry may be facing fresh industrial action as two major aviation unions have threatened to begin picketing airlines accused of withholding billions of naira in statutory Ticket Sales Charges.
The unions said the planned action could commence at any time following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the affected airlines after an earlier 14-day notice failed to produce the desired outcome.
The warning was contained in a joint statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the General Secretary of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Frances Akinjole, and the Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Odinaka Igbokwe.
The unions alleged that some airlines had continued to collect Ticket Sales Charges from passengers on behalf of government aviation agencies without remitting the funds as required by law.
“The expiration of the seven-day ultimatum, coming after the earlier 14-day notice, has shown that these airlines are deliberately refusing to do what is right,” the unions said.
According to the labour groups, the unremitted charges are meant to fund critical aviation agencies, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.
They argued that the failure to remit the funds was undermining aviation safety, air navigation services, accident investigation, weather forecasting and manpower development across the sector.
“They collected this money from passengers on behalf of government aviation agencies, yet they have chosen to withhold it despite repeated appeals. It has become crystal clear that these airlines have decided to siphon funds meant for the smooth running of Nigeria’s aviation industry to the detriment of our collective safety and well-being,” the statement added.
The unions said all avenues for dialogue had been exhausted, insisting that the matter extends beyond financial obligations to the safety of air travellers and the welfare of aviation workers.
They warned that airlines that fail to comply with statutory remittance obligations should not be allowed to continue operating alongside compliant carriers.
“Our unions have decided to stop the operations of these defaulting airlines in our airports anytime from now, without any further notice,” the statement said.
The unions maintained that the planned industrial action is intended to safeguard the aviation sector by ensuring that funds collected from passengers are remitted to the appropriate agencies.
Meanwhile, the Airline Operators of Nigeria has rejected the unions’ position, insisting it has no transactional relationship with them.
The operators warned that any attempt to picket airline operations would have serious consequences.
They explained that although they would ordinarily ignore what they described as “misinformed threats,” growing concerns from passengers over possible disruptions made it necessary to respond and clarify their position.
