AON cautions aviation unions on plans to picket airlines

 AON  cautions aviation unions on plans to picket airlines 

Vice President of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Allen Onyema yesterday cautioned aviation unions to desist from their threat to picket domestic carriers over the debts accruing from non- remittance of the five percent of Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), saying local airlines have no business with unions  on AON's relationship with aviation agencies.

Onyema said an arrangement where unions are now acting on behalf  of agencies on the modalities for remitting whatever airlines owe them could be described as arbitrariness.

He said it is strange that aviation agencies are now resorting to using unions to settle issues bordering on debt recovery.

Speaking in an interview at the sidelines of the launch of the biography of Alhaji Muneer Bankole, the Managing Director of Meview Airlines Plc, Onyema said the unions were acting on a script by their promoters - aviation agencies - to create problems that will trigger the shutting of airlines.

He said aviation unions cannot intimidate with the threat of shutting them down, because local carriers have suffocated to the point of near collapse.

The AON Vice Chairman said given the harshest conditions under which local carriers operate , intimidation by aviation unions will only plunge the sector into more crisis.

He said AON members have a solid business relationship with the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), that does not require the intervention of unions to create any discord.

The Air Peace Chairman said recent developments in the aviation industry calls for serious introspection, requiring the agencies and Federal Government to ramp up efforts in addressing the challenges local carriers are navigating.

He said the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has highlighted the high regime of charges airlines in Nigeria pay, which is the highest in the world.

Onyema said : " Nigerian airlines have no problems with aviation unions. It is an aberration that the unions are now being used to settle issues of debt. I weep for those planning to use them to shut down our operations through picketing. I dare the unions to go ahead and carry out their plans. That would amount to bad precedent . We will go home and thousands of aviation workers will be thrown into unemployment. .

"What is the business of aviation unions with how the agencies resolve issues of debt. We are already cooperating with the Ministry of Aviation , why should the unions be issuing threats to shut down our operations . What I think we should be doing now is how to sit down with operators and fix the problems in the sector. 

"There is an urgent need to work out how the airlines will succeed. Why are there multiple charges , airlines do not want to owe, how do we assist the airlines, why are more airlines going under, what components of the operations should be taxed, these should be the issues, not shutting down airlines by unions.

"Tinubu will not want Nigerian airlines to go under. Tinubu has been supporting airlines. That is the reason, I am insisting that those sponsoring aviation unions to shut down airlines are not patriotic."

On Monday, the AON said  airline operators have no transactional relationship with the unions regarding the disputed Ticket Service Charges (TSC) allegedly owed to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), insisting passengers should remain confident in their travel plans.

The airline operators issued the strong response after receiving what it described as numerous enquiries from worried passengers seeking clarification over reports that some aviation unions intended to disrupt flight operations. According to AON, the public deserves accurate information rather than unnecessary panic.
“We would not ordinarily dignify this with a response, but the numerous calls from anxious passengers demanding to know the fate of their travel plans leave us no choice. It is therefore on their behalf that we speak,” the association said.
The operators maintained that the unions neither represent nor speak for the NCAA on matters relating to Ticket Service Charges. Therefore, it urged those behind the planned industrial action to verify the facts with the appropriate authorities before embarking on actions capable of disrupting air travel across the country.
“We want to clearly state that the AON has no transactional relationship whatsoever with these unions on this matter. To the best of our knowledge, they do not speak for, nor on behalf of, the NCAA. Those behind these threats have been misinformed, and we urge them to seek facts from the appropriate quarters before taking any action capable of inflicting needless hardship on the travelling public,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the airline operators argued that domestic carriers are already battling severe financial pressures that threaten the sustainability of their operations. The association pointed to soaring aviation fuel costs and multiple statutory charges as major challenges confronting the sector.
According to airline operators, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has repeatedly identified Nigeria as one of the countries with the highest aviation charges globally. It said the industry’s current challenges require constructive engagement rather than actions capable of worsening an already difficult operating environment.
“The cost of aviation fuel and the multiple charges airlines pay have pushed operators to a breaking point. Nigeria has one of the most expensive aviation charge regimes globally. This is suffocating the industry and is not the time for distractions dressed up as agitation,” AON stated.
In addition, the association stressed that it maintains direct communication channels with the NCAA on all regulatory and commercial issues affecting its members. It described this engagement as the recognised global standard between airline operators and aviation regulators, adding that discussions with the NCAA remain ongoing in good faith.
AON also warned that any attempt to disrupt airline services or compromise passenger safety over the dispute would attract consequences. It called on relevant security agencies and government authorities to closely monitor the situation and prevent any unlawful interference with scheduled flight operations.
“We state without ambiguity that any individual or group that disrupts airline operations or endangers the safety of the flying public based on this particular threat will be held responsible for the consequences. We therefore call on the appropriate authorities to please take note,” the association declared.
The airline operators reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Nigeria’s economy through continued investment in the aviation sector. The association said its members remain focused on delivering safe, secure and seamless air transport services despite the mounting economic pressures confronting the industry.
“AON members, as patriotic Nigerians and legitimate investors in the nation’s economy, remain fully committed to the safety and seamless travel experience of all Nigerians, and we will not be distracted by threats, misinformation or manufactured crises,” the statement concluded.

On his part, Muneer Bankole called on industry players to play their role to move air transport to its expected heights saying airline owners and other stakeholders will continue to contribute to the sustenance of the sector.

He commended members of the Aviation Safety RoundTable Initiative (ASRTI), for their invaluable contribution to the air transport ecosystem.