DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Economy & Trade

JUST IN: Aviation workers give airlines seven-day ultimatum over unpaid TSA

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Nigerian aviation workers have issued a seven-day ultimatum to airlines and organizations to settle unpaid 5% Ticket Sales Charges (TSC).
  • The unions warn that continued non-remittance starves critical aviation agencies of funds needed for safe operations.
  • Failure to comply could lead to nationwide picketing, jeopardizing the safety and security of Nigeria's airspace.

Aviation workers in Nigeria have issued a fresh seven-day ultimatum to airline operators and other defaulting organizations, demanding the settlement of outstanding 5% Ticket Sales Charges (TSC) owed to aviation agencies. The unions, including the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the National Union of Air Transport Employees, warned that non-compliance would result in nationwide picketing.

Our earlier 14-day ultimatum has expired, and regrettably, willful non-compliance has been recorded.

— Unions' statementExpressing disappointment over the lack of action following a previous ultimatum.

This ultimatum follows the expiration of an earlier 14-day notice served on July 8, which lapsed on July 23 without any action from the operators. The 5% TSC is a statutory levy collected on every airline ticket sold in Nigeria, intended for remittance to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and other aviation agencies to cover their financial obligations.

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.

— Unions' statementDetailing the impact of non-remittance on aviation safety and employee welfare.

The unions expressed deep disappointment over the "willful non-compliance" by airlines and other TSC defaulters. They stressed that the continued failure to remit these charges is critically starving aviation agencies of essential funds required to maintain safe and efficient operations. The statement highlighted that the prolonged withholding of these statutory deductions has weakened the financial capacity of agencies and negatively impacted employee welfare.

This unnecessary demotivation factor to the air transport worker is a security and safety risk.

— Unions' statementWarning about the safety implications of the financial strain on aviation workers.

According to the workers, this situation creates a dangerous environment for the country's aviation industry, posing a security and safety risk. The unions declared they could no longer remain passive, emphasizing that the inability of agencies to access their due funds could compromise the safety and security of Nigeria's airspace. They are demanding immediate remittance from all defaulting airline operators and indebted organizations.

We can no longer helplessly fold our hands and allow the safety of our airspace to remain compromised. We hereby issue a seven-day notice to every TSC defaulter to remit the total d

— Unions' statementAnnouncing the final ultimatum and the potential consequences of non-compliance.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog