Aviation workers threaten protest over unpaid ticket charges
Aviation workers have issued a seven-day ultimatum to airlines over unpaid statutory Ticket Sales Charges, warning of nationwide picketing if debts remain unsettled.
Nigeria’s aviation workers have issued a fresh seven-day ultimatum to airline operators and other organisations that have failed to remit the statutory five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), warning of nationwide picketing if the outstanding debts are not settled. The notice was jointly issued by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), following the expiration of an earlier 14-day ultimatum served on 8 July.
The five per cent Ticket Sales Charge is a statutory levy imposed on every airline ticket sold in Nigeria. The proceeds are remitted to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and shared among aviation agencies to fund regulatory oversight, safety, security and other statutory responsibilities. The latest warning comes months after airline operators announced they would no longer collect and remit the charge on behalf of the NCAA, arguing that the arrangement had become unsustainable.
In a statement jointly signed by ATSSSAN General Secretary Frances Akinjole and NUATE Deputy General Secretary Odinaka Igbokwe, the unions accused defaulting operators of failing to remit the charges despite repeated warnings. “Our earlier 14-day ultimatum has expired, and regrettably, wilful non-compliance has been recorded,” the unions said. According to them, the continued failure to remit the statutory deductions is depriving aviation agencies of funds required to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
“The aviation agencies remain starved of the required funds to keep our skies safe, while the conditions of service of our members in the various agencies continue to be jeopardised because of the non-remittance of the Ticket Sales Charge,” the statement added. The unions argued that the prolonged withholding of the funds has weakened the financial capacity of the agencies and adversely affected workers’ welfare. “We can no longer helplessly fold our hands and allow the safety of our airspace to remain compromised,” the statement said.
The dispute highlights the fragile funding structure of Nigeria’s aviation sector. The NCAA and other agencies rely heavily on the TSC to fund their operations, and any disruption to that revenue stream could have serious consequences for aviation safety. The unions’ threat of picketing adds pressure on the government to resolve the impasse.
This echoes the 2019 dispute between aviation workers and airlines over unpaid charges, which also threatened to disrupt operations. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a standoff between workers and operators over funding.
The winners: none, if the dispute escalates. The losers: the aviation agencies, which are starved of funds; airline operators, who face potential picketing; and the Nigerian public, who may face disruptions to air travel.
Bottom Line: Aviation workers are threatening to picket airlines over unpaid ticket charges. The safety of Nigeria’s airspace is at stake. The question is whether the government will intervene or let the dispute escalate.