TSC DISPUTE ESCALATES INTO MAJOR AVIATION FLASHPOINT

Nigeria’s aviation sector is facing growing tension over the Ticket Sales Charge, with a dispute involving airlines, aviation unions and government agencies escalating into flight disruptions and leaving passengers stranded.

The dispute centres on the alleged failure of some airlines to remit the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge collected from passengers, as well as concerns over workers’ rights to join trade unions.

Aviation unions, including the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, have accused affected airlines of frustrating workers who seek to join unions.

The unions said they had issued several warnings before resorting to industrial action, arguing that attempts to resolve the issues had failed.

The immediate impact was felt at airports in Lagos and Abuja, where Air Peace operations were disrupted after unions began picketing the airline.

The action left passengers facing cancelled and disrupted flights, with some travellers uncertain about when they would be able to continue their journeys.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority appealed for calm, with its Director-General, Chris Najomo, urging the unions to suspend the action and allow discussions to continue.

The regulator said a meeting convened by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, could not hold because airline operators failed to attend.

Meanwhile, Air Peace apologised to affected passengers and said the disruption was beyond its control. The airline said it was contacting passengers as the situation developed.

Beyond the immediate labour dispute, the controversy has exposed deeper disagreements over how the Ticket Sales Charge should be collected and shared among aviation agencies.

Former Group Captain John Ojikutu argued that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency should receive a larger share of the charge, while the Airline Operators of Nigeria has called for the abolition of the five per cent levy and its replacement with a flat-rate system.

The escalating dispute has raised concerns about the impact of industrial action on passengers, airline operations, aviation funding and investor confidence in Nigeria’s air transport sector.

Stakeholders are expected to continue negotiations in an effort to resolve the disagreement and prevent further disruptions to flight operations.