Aviation Unions Threaten to Shut Down Airlines Over Unremitted Ticket Charges
By Admin, Lagos
Nigeria’s aviation industry could face widespread flight disruptions as aviation unions have threatened to shut down the operations of airlines accused of failing to remit statutory ticket sales charges collected from passengers.
The warning follows the expiration of a final seven-day ultimatum issued on August 4 by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), after an earlier 14-day grace period lapsed without compliance.
In a joint statement signed by ATSSSAN General Secretary, Comrade Frances Akinjole, and NUATE Assistant General Secretary, Comrade Odinaka Igbokwe, the unions accused some airlines of collecting statutory charges from passengers but failed to remit the funds to the appropriate government aviation agencies.
According to the unions, the unremitted charges are meant to support key aviation institutions, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
The statement described the defaulting airlines as “cancerous” to the aviation industry, arguing that their actions undermine safety, regulatory oversight and fair competition among compliant operators.
“These operators have continued to collect statutory charges from passengers without remitting them to the relevant agencies. Such practices are unacceptable and threaten the sustainability of the aviation sector,” the unions said.
They added that with all deadlines now expired, aviation workers would begin industrial action aimed at grounding the operations of the affected airlines.
The unions warned that picketing and operational shutdowns could commence without further notice, a move that may lead to flight cancellations and disruptions across airports nationwide if the dispute remains unresolved.