AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS THREATEN TO CRIPPLE DEBTOR AIRLINES

The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) is threatening to withdraw services of its members to debtor airlines.

NATCA said the airlines refusal to pay the aviation agencies for services rendered to them is affecting them negatively.
NATCA in a statement signed by the president, Victor Eyaru and the secretary, Banji Olawole called on the federal government and well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on all domestic airlines to remit their outstanding Ticket and Cargo Sales Charges (TSC) to aviation agencies without further delay to enable them meet their obligations.
NATCA noted that “indebtedness by domestic airlines to various aviation agencies has crippled funding of their facilities and operations,” adding that in the long run, this could compromise safety.

While expressing concern over the looming danger to air safety, in the country as a result of non-remittance of TSC which is running into several billions of naira collected on behalf of aviation agencies, NAMA, NCAA, NIMET and NCAT by domestic airlines, NATCA said the organizations require huge funds to procure and  maintain, train their manpower and to be able to discharge their functions well.
“It is therefore imperative that non-remittance of this fund by domestic airlines would jeopardize 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,” the association said.
NATCA vowed to support any legitimate means adopted to ensure remittance of  the outstanding charges and prompt remittance of subsequent collections, adding that air safety cannot be toyed with and that anything done to achieve this on daily basis was highly desirable.
It said that NATCA as a major stakeholder in the provision of safety services in the aviation industry will not hesitate to withdraw the service of its members to any defaulting and non cooperating airlines.