TSC crisis: Aviation unions gear up for airlines’ picketing

Aviation unions in Nigeria are poised to picket airlines, escalating a dispute over billions of naira in unremitted Ticket Sales Charges (TSCs). Two major unions have declared their readiness to commence industrial action, citing the airlines' persistent failure to remit statutory funds collected from passengers.

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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, represented by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the National Union of Air Transport Employees, issued a seven-day ultimatum that expired without a satisfactory response. This follows an earlier 14-day notice, indicating that dialogue avenues have been exhausted. The unions accuse airlines of withholding funds essential for the operations of critical aviation agencies.

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They collected this money from passengers on behalf of government aviation agencies, yet they have chosen to withhold it despite repeated appeals.

These TSCs are vital for supporting agencies such as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau. The unions argue that the non-remittance directly threatens aviation safety oversight, air navigation, accident investigation, and other essential functions.

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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 safety and operational efficiency.

However, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have stated they have no transactional relationship with the unions. They dismissed the threats as "misinformed" but acknowledged the need to address passenger concerns. AON warned that any picketing would have "dire consequences," suggesting a potential for significant disruption within the sector.

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We would ordinarily not respond to what we describe as misinformed threats, but mounting concerns from passengers over the fate of their travel plans made it necessary to clarify our position.