The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has moved to mediate between domestic airlines and aviation unions following threats of industrial action over outstanding Ticket Sales Charge obligations.
The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the National Union of Air Transport Employees issued notice of possible action against airlines they accused of owing the regulator and restricting workers from joining unions.
The NCAA said it was intervening to prevent disruption to flight operations and to ensure that the dispute was resolved through established industry processes.
Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection Michael Achimugu said airlines had already reached agreements with the regulator to clear older debts by instalments after making initial payments.
He said the Federal Government also approved a 30 per cent waiver on some of the accumulated obligations.
Achimugu rejected suggestions that the NCAA was using organised labour to recover money from airlines, stressing that the regulator had its own legal and administrative mechanisms for dealing with indebted operators.
He said the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA leadership had previously appealed to the unions to suspend planned picketing after airlines began implementing agreed repayment schedules.
Domestic carriers continue to remit current Ticket Sales Charge, Cargo Sales Charge and charter related obligations even while servicing older debts.
Aero Contractors Managing Director Ado Sanusi argued that the dispute showed the need for broader reform of aviation funding.
He said the existing five per cent Ticket Sales Charge had been in place for decades and should be reviewed because domestic airlines already carry a heavy burden of taxes, charges and rising operating costs.
Sanusi also argued that debt recovery should be handled directly by the regulator through its statutory powers rather than through industrial action by unions.
The NCAA maintained that its priority was to protect passengers, preserve stability in the sector and ensure that airlines meet their financial obligations without being regulated out of business.
