NCAA Moves to Mend Fences Between Airlines, Labour over Planned Picketing
– Airlines servicing old TSC debt as agreed with NCAA – MD, Aero Contractors canvasses overhaul of aviation sector Chinedu Eze The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has decided to wade into
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is intervening in the dispute between aviation unions and airlines over a Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) debt that accumulated during the US-Iran war due to a sudden increase in aviation fuel costs. The unions, primarily Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association (ATSSAN) and National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), issued a three-day strike notice on August 7, 2026, against the airlines they deemed indebted.
They also demanded that airlines allow their workers to join unions, a condition they claimed the airlines refused.
Airlines servicing the old TSC debt per their agreement with the NCAA have been paying current 5% Ticket Sales Charge, Cargo Sales Charge, and Charter. For instance, Aero Contractors pays N250 to N400 million monthly to the NCAA depending on its passenger throughput and cargo, while United Nigeria Airlines pays N600 million monthly, and Nigeria's largest operator, Air Peace, pays N2 billion monthly.
The NCAA's Director General, Captain Chris Najomo, is addressing the matter to prevent industrial action and disrupt flight operations. He confirmed that the airlines have started paying the old debt as agreed, additionally granting a 30% waiver on the old debt. However, the unions' allegations of unionization restrictions by the airlines have not been confirmed by the NCAA.
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