The Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, has dismissed threats by some aviation unions to disrupt flight operations over alleged unremitted Ticket Service Charges, TSC, owed to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday, August 3, 2026, the AON said it has no transactional relationship with the unions on the matter and urged them to seek facts before embarking on any action that could cause hardship to passengers.
“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,” the statement read.
According to AON, the unions do not speak for, nor on behalf of, the NCAA. The body described those behind the threats as “misinformed.”
The airlines also raised concern over the operating environment, saying carriers are already under severe pressure.
“Nigerian airlines are already operating under conditions that threaten their survival. The cost of aviation fuel and the multiple charges they pay have pushed them to a breaking point,” AON said.
The association cited the International Air Transport Association, IATA, which it said had confirmed that Nigeria has one of the most expensive aviation charges globally. “This is suffocating the industry and is not the time for distractions dressed up as agitation,” the statement added.
AON further stated that it has direct engagement channels with the NCAA as the industry regulator, and those engagements are ongoing in good faith.
The body warned that any individual or group that disrupts airline operations or endangers the safety of the flying public over the issue “will be held responsible for the consequences.” It called on relevant authorities to take note.
Reaffirming its commitment, AON said its members remain patriotic investors in Nigeria’s economy and contributors to the economic development agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
“We 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.
