At least two prominent aviation unions, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), have formally petitioned the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regarding alleged violations of the “Safety Threshold Ground Handling Charges” by industry operators.
In a joint petition addressed to the NCAA, which our correspondent obtained on Tuesday, the unions expressed concern over breaches of the pricing agreement established earlier this year. The petition was signed by ATSSSAN’s Principal Deputy General Secretary, Frances Akinjole, and NUATE’s Deputy General Secretary, Odinaka Igbokwe. They criticized the NCAA for allegedly neglecting to respond to their previous concerns on the matter.
The managing directors of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc, Skyway Aviation Handling Company, airlines, and union branch executives were copied on the petition. This letter comes amid intensifying competition among local ground handling companies.
Major local ground handling operators include NAHCO, SAHCO, Precision Aviation Handling Company Limited, Butake Resources Limited, and Swissport Nigeria, with NAHCO and SAHCO being the largest, operating at several airports nationwide.
Earlier this year, ground handling firms, under the auspices of the Aviation Ground Handling Association of Nigeria, reportedly reached a consensus to raise handling charges, a move that faced strong opposition from airline operators. The ground handling companies justified the price increase due to rising inflation, which has significantly impacted their operating costs.
Revised rates saw fees jump from ₦70,000 to ₦400,000 for a Boeing 737, ₦50,000 to ₦250,000 for CRJ/Embraer aircraft, and ₦25,000 to ₦150,000 for Dash 8 aircraft. Charges for ground support services were also markedly increased, with the Pushback Service Charge rising from ₦22,000 to ₦200,000, and the Ground Power Unit Services charge jumping from ₦20,000 to ₦180,000 per hour.
Following pushback from airlines, the NCAA reportedly mandated a 15 percent reduction from the initial increases. However, our correspondent’s findings revealed that major ground handling companies were accusing each other of breaching the agreement by undercutting prices to attract clients.
In a prior letter dated July 4, 2025, the unions had raised similar issues and urged the NCAA to take decisive action to uphold the integrity of the pricing framework. They warned that failure to enforce the “Safety Threshold Ground Handling Charges” could lead to industrial action.
The letter stated, “Given the roles our unions played during and after the establishment of the agreement, including our commitment to uphold its sanctity in the interest of the collective, no member or officer of our union shall be held liable for taking necessary actions to protect the integrity of the agreement without recourse to the NCAA.”
This development comes amid reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may intervene in the alleged violations, which stakeholders have indicated could threaten safety. The Director-General of the NCAA, Chris Najomo, recently visited the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja for a meeting with the commission’s Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede. Details of that meeting remain undisclosed as of press time.
