Aviation unions issue seven-day strike notice to airlines over unpaid ticket sales charges
THE crisis regarding the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) remittance by airline operators has escalated. Aviation workers’ unions have issued a seven-day notice of picketing to airlines that have defaulted, indicating that failure to resolve outstanding obligations may lead to industrial action at airports nationwide.
On 27 July 2026, unions sent a letter to the Chairman of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), accusing airlines of not complying with a 14-day ultimatum from 8 July 2026, which called for the immediate payment of overdue Ticket Sales Charges to aviation agencies.
The notice was jointly signed by Comrade Frances Akinjole, General Secretary of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and Comrade Odinaka Igbokwe, Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE).
According to the unions, the initial deadline lapsed on Thursday, 23 July 2026, revealing “wilful non-compliance” by airline operators. They expressed concern that the failure to remit statutory charges has resulted in a loss of crucial funds for aviation agencies, posing significant risks to the safety and security of Nigeria’s airspace.
The unions emphasized that aviation agencies are “starved of the required funds to keep our sky safe”, adding that the non-remittance has also negatively affected the welfare and conditions of service of workers employed by the agencies.
They contended that the agencies’ inability to secure their funds has undermined the conditions of service for members, leading to unnecessary demotivation among aviation workers. The unions claimed that the issue has escalated beyond a labor dispute into a serious concern for aviation safety and security.
The letter from ATSSSAN and NUATE emphasized that workers can no longer remain passive as financial issues continue to hinder aviation agencies’ operations.
They issued a new seven-day notice to airline operators for the immediate payment of outstanding Ticket Sales Charges. The unions threatened picketing and industrial actions if compliance is not met by the deadline, aiming to enforce the obligation to remit charges collected from passengers.
This ultimatum signals potential industrial unrest in Nigeria’s aviation sector unless the matter is resolved promptly. The situation raises concerns over the funding of aviation regulatory and service agencies reliant on timely remittance of the five percent Ticket Sales Charge.