New handling rates: Operators shelve strike as NCAA intervenes

Ground handling operators in the aviation industry who had threatened to go on strike on Friday (today) had shelved the proposed action. This followed the intervention of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on the issue of the new charges approved for the operators. Ground handlers under the aegis of the Aviation Ground Handling Association […]

Ground handling operators in the aviation industry who had threatened to go on strike on Friday (today) had shelved the proposed action.

This followed the intervention of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on the issue of the new charges approved for the operators.

Ground handlers under the aegis of the Aviation Ground Handling Association of Nigeria (AGHAN), had got approval for new safety threshold handling charges which was to commence on October 1 but stalled by the intervention of the House of Representatives.

But the Chairman of AGHAN, Mr. Olaniyi Adigun, said since the body made its intention known to embark on the indefinite strike, the regulatory agency had continued to hold series of meetings with it to avert disruption to flight operations.

“Considering the impact of the strike on the economy, especially flight disruption, the strike has been called off. We actually reached some certain rates with the NCAA, which will be communicated to all soon.

Our correspondent reports that the new rates the NCAA approved for the operators are $1,500 and $5,000 (passenger and cargo flights) for narrow and wide body aircraft on international routes, respectively, while for domestic operators it was upped to N20,000 and N70,000, depending on the aircraft type.

It was however learnt that the compromise reached by stakeholders could see the operators taking some percentage cut from the new approved rates.