Hard times await air travellers as unions begin picketing over collected TSC
Aviation
BY CHUKWUEMEKE IWELUNMO
Two aviation Unions in the country, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union Of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) say they are ready to commence picketing of debtor airlines in the country over non remittance of collected Tickets Sales Charge (TSC)
The unions described the action of the airlines as criminal and stealing of agencies funds collected from passengers on behalf of the aviation parastatals but failed to remit it.
In a release signed by Comrades Frances Akinjole and Odinaka Igbokwe, general secretaires respectively, in a notice of picketing declared “It has become crystal clear that these airlines that collected this money from the passengers on behalf the aviation agencies have decided to siphon the fund to the detriment our collective safety and well-being”
They said it has been established that the pilfering airlines are un-fit to remain in the sky that is been serviced by genuine the patriotic efforts of other sincerely responsible operators in the industry.
No date was given for the commencement of the picketing but the unions said …”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”
ATSSSAN and NUATE copied the media, TSC, defaulting airlines, the Nigeria Police Airport Command, DSS and the general public to be aware of the planned picketing and its consequences.
It will be recalled that 3rd August 2026 marked the expiration of the 7-Day 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 Nigerian aviation by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
But the concerned airlines remained adamant.
