Airline debt: Traffic controllers threaten to withdraw services

Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association has condemned the domestic airlines that fail to remit their outstanding Ticket and Cargo Sales Charges to aviation agencies.

The NATCA, in a statement on Sunday, called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to prevail on the domestic airlines to remit their TSC to the appropriate aviation agencies in order to enable them to meet their obligations.

The statement signed by the NATCA President, Victor Eyaru, and General Secretary, Banji Olawole, said the body would not hesitate to withdraw the service of its members from any defaulting and non cooperating airlines.

It added that the indebtedness by domestic airlines to various aviation agencies had crippled funding and operations in the affected government organisations.

Eyaru and Olawole expressed fears that the non-remittance of the TSC running into several billions of naira collected on behalf of aviation agencies could affect air safety.

The affected agencies are the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Metrological Agency and Nigerian College of Aviation Technology.

According to the association, they require huge funds to procure and maintain equipment, train their manpower and able to discharge their functions properly.

The statement said, “It is, therefore, imperative that non-remittance of this fund by domestic airlines will jeopardise the ability of the agencies to finance their safety critical functions. This is unsafe to air navigation within the Nigerian airspace and calls for serious actions.