Keyamo intervenes as TSC crisis threatens domestic airline operations

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Festus Keyamo

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By Dickson Omobola

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The face-off between the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, and aviation unions over the statutory five per cent Ticket Sales Charge, TSC, has deepened, with the unions threatening to shut down airline operations at any moment without further notice.

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The threat comes less than 24 hours after domestic airlines warned against any disruption of their operations over the TSC dispute, saying any group that attempts such action would be held responsible for the consequences.

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The TSC is a statutory levy collected by airlines from passengers on behalf of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

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While the unions claimed that the non-remittance of the TSC had continued to deprive aviation agencies of funds needed to sustain safe and efficient operations, AON insisted they had been misinformed on the issue and urged them to seek clarification from the appropriate authorities.

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However, following the expiration of the seven days ultimatum issued on July 28 after an earlier 14 days deadline, General Secretary of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, Mr Frances Akinjole, and the Deputy General Secretary of National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, Mr Odinaka Igbokwe, notified the airlines, the police and the Department of State Services, DSS, of their decision to commence action.

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The unions said the airlines’ continued failure to remit the TSC was detrimental to the safety and well-being of the aviation industry and warned that the affected carriers’ operations would be grounded.

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The statement reads: “We may recall that August 3, 2026, marked the expiration of the seven days ultimatum, being the next after the first 14-day ultimatum that was issued the airlines that are deliberately withholding the remittance of the money (ticket sales charge) that was statutorily paid by the flying passengers for the smooth running of the NCAA, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet.

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“Because they are adamant to yield to our calls, it has become crystal clear that the airlines that collected this money from the passengers on behalf of the aviation agencies have decided to siphon the funds to the detriment of our collective safety and well-being.

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“It is now established that the pilfering airlines are un-fit to remain in our sky that has been serviced by the genuine patriotic efforts of other sincerely responsible operators in the industry.

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“Hence, our unions, in safeguarding the interests of the airport workers, and in general, the safety of the flying public, have decided to stop the operations of the cancerous airlines in our airports any time from now, without any further notice.”

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Reacting to the development, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said Federal Government was already engaging the parties to avert a disruption of flight operations.

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Speaking to Vanguard, he said: “I am presently out of the country, and we are making efforts to reach out to all parties.”

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